By SHIELA MAE BUTLIG
and NITZ ARANCON
Correspondents
MAYOR Paulino “Oloy” Emano’s death on Wednesday afternoon marked the end of an era in Tagoloan politics. He was the first successor of erstwhile governor and Cagayan de Oro mayor Vicente Emano, and served the town as its mayor for two decades.
The younger Emano died of complications resulting from diabetes at the Capitol University Medical City in Gusa here at around 5:35 pm the other day. He was 68.
His elder brother Vicente said he shed tears after he was informed of the town mayor’s death.
“Ako nagsubo kaayo ug dako, nasilag ako sa panahon sa pagka matay sa akong igso-on, apan gidawat ko kana nga kamato-oran, nga tipik sa atong pagkahimogsa sa kalibutan ma-o gayud ang kamatayon. Na-a na man kana, wala na kitay mahimo gawas na lamang sa pagbagho,” said the elder Emano.
He said he had thought that Paulino was on the way to recovery because his condition improved in the past three weeks until the town mayor was rushed again to the hospital this week.
Emano said Paulino would be laid to rest at the Tagoloan cemetery beside their parents’ graves on Saturday morning.
He said his family has opened the wake at the Tagoloan town hall to the public, and the funeral to all those who wish to pay their last respects to the late mayor.
“Wala usay color sa politika karon. Libre ang tanan nga modu-aw sa haya ni Mayor Oloy bisan kadtong dili namo kauban sa partido,” Emano said.
The younger Emano’s death has changed the political landscape in Tagoloan, the political bailiwick of the Emano family.
The late mayor’s nephew Misamis Oriental Gov. Yevgeny Vincente Emano said Paulino succumbed to multiple organ failure as a result of diabetes.
His death would mean the rise of Vice Mayor Robinson Sabio, a non-Padayon Pilipino member, as mayor.
Armando Pomar, a Tagoloan councilor, would assume as the new vice mayor by way of automatic succession.
Gov. Emano said the capitol was open to Sabio, and that the provincial government was willing to work with the new mayor if he needed help for the sake of the town.
He admitted though that his uncle’s death would impact on the Padayon Pilipino’s campaign to win seats in the May elections, pointing out that the late mayor had supporters in Villanueva and Claveria in the province’s 2nd District, and even in the province’s 1st District, including Gingoog City.
His late uncle was supposed to run for vice mayor of Tagoloan under the ticket of provincial board member Heckert Emano.
Gov. Emano said the list of choices for a substitute candidate would include his late uncle’s children Richard and Paolo, the governor’s younger sister Tisha or provincial board member Mario Emano.
“Basta Emano gyud ang apilyido,” he said.
He said the choice would be finalized after Paulino’s interment.
The governor, who also served as mayor of Tagoloan, lauded the late mayor for building a dome in the town and for providing all of Tagoloan barangays with covered courts.
He said his late uncle had gone out of his way to look for sources of funds in the national government in order to carry out projects in Tagoloan.
Gov. Emano also credited Paulino for the town’s peace and order situation, pointing out that the late mayor was tough on criminals, and yet had a soft spot for the needy.
Paulino was the youngest among four siblings who followed in the footsteps of his elder brother Vicente who was the town’s mayor before him.
Paulino became involved in politics when the elder Emano was appointed acting governor of Misamis Oriental after the Edsa revolt in 1986.
He was acting mayor of Tagoloan from 1986 to 1987, and was elected to the post in 1988 and held on to it until 1998, the year Vicente was elected mayor of Cagayan de Oro.
Paulino was succeeded as Tagoloan mayor by Gov. Emano who served the town as local chief executive for nine years. In 2007, he staged a comeback in Tagoloan politics and was elected mayor again until his death on Wednesday.
The late mayor is survived by his children Richard Paul, Inday, Paolo, and Cheddie Emano.
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