Kongresista ng Batanes na si Ciriaco Gato Jr., pumanaw na

Pumanaw na ang kongresista ng Batanes na si Dr. Ciriaco Gato Jr., na chairman ngayon ng House Committee on Health sa Kamara de Reprsentantes.

Inanunsiyo ng pamahalaang panlalawigan ng Batanes ang malungkot na balita sa isang Facebook post nitong Lunes.

“The Provincial Government of Batanes, together with the entire Ivatan community, joins as one in profound grief and mourning over the untimely passing of our beloved Congressman, the Honorable Dr. Ciriaco “Jun” Bayaras Gato Jr,” saad sa post.

“For Batanes, his passing is not merely the loss of a public servant. It is the loss of a son of the province who devoted his life, his profession, and his public service to the welfare of his fellow Ivatans,” dagdag nito.

Naging kongresita ng nag-iisang distrito ng Batanes ang 66-anyos na si Gato, nang talunin niya noong 2019 election sa naturang posisyon ang dating kongresista na si Florencio Abad Jr.

Muling nanalo sa naturang posisyon si Gato noong halalan ng 2022, at sa ikatlo at panghuli na sana niyang termino nitong nakaraang 2025 polls.

Hindi naman binanggit sa post ang dahilan ng pagkamatay ng kongresita.

Inilarawan sa post si Gato na isang “true son of Batanes, a healer of the people, a servant of the public, and a steadfast champion of the Ivatan identity.”

“We grieve the loss of a leader who gave voice to our province and carried the hopes and aspirations of our people with him in his service to the nation,” saad nito.

“The Provincial Government of Batanes extends its deepest and most heartfelt condolences to his wife and children, his family, relatives, friends, colleagues, and all those whose lives he touched. May they find strength and comfort in the knowledge that an entire province grieves with them and remembers with gratitude a life dedicated to serving the people,” patuloy pa nito.

Noong nakaraang Hulyo, iginiit ni Gato na hindi bahagi ng ibang bansa ang Batanes, taliwas sa nais palabasan ng ibang Chinese scholars na bahagi ng Taiwan ng nasabing lalawigan.

"We have always known who we are. Our allegiance is to the Republic of the Philippines—now and always" anang mambabatas. – FRJ GMA News