THE son of the late councilor Raul “Yayoy” Alcoseba will be substituting his father as candidate for councilor in Cebu City’s South District.In an interview on Wednesday, April 27, 2022, Ramonito Alcoseba told reporters that he will continue the legacy of his father.The elder Alcoseba passed away on Saturday, April 23, at the age of 71 years old.Ramonito confirmed that his father’s party, Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK) has already filed a Certificate of Nomination and Acceptance at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to formalize his assumption as his father’s replacement.Under Comelec rules, a deceased candidate can be substituted by someone who has the same last name as the deceased.Section 40 of Comelec Resolution 10717 states: “The substitute for an aspirant or candidate who died or was disqualified by final judgment, may file a Certificate of Candidacy up to mid-day of election day; Provided that, the substitute and the substituted candidate have the same surnames.”BOPK will soon have a press conference to inform the public about the situation and to inform the party’s supporters that they can still vote for the late councilor despite his death, Ramonito added.If elected, Ramonito said he would continue his father’s advocacy in increasing the financial aid to senior citizens and expand its coverage to make sure that all the qualified senior citizens would be able to receive the assistance.Ramonito said he has been actively participating in BOPK’s campaign sorties after his father was hospitalized since the beginning of the campaign period last March.But Ramonito added that BOPK has yet to discuss if they will field a substitute to fill in the vacancy that his father left in the City Council.Necrological serviceAlcoseba’s remains were brought to the Cebu City Hall on Wednesday, April 27, for a necrological service.The necrological service was attended by City Hall officials and employees; and members of the bereaved family.Mayor Michael Rama and Vice Mayor Donaldo Hontiveros recalled how the late councilor influenced them not just in politics but also when it comes to playing basketball.Before Alcoseba entered politics, he had played for the University of San Jose-Recoletos’ (USJ-R) college basketball team.He later coached several collegiate teams in Cebu, including the University of Cebu (UC), USJ-R, and Southwestern University where he won multiple championships.Hontiveros narrated how he was hesitant to try out for Alcoseba’s team because of the late councilor’s strict demeanor.Hontiveros said this perception changed when he was hired as Alcoseba’s assistant coach when the late councilor headed UC’s college basketball team.Alcoseba entered the political arena and became a member of the 10th, 11th, and 12th Sangguniang Panlungsod, from 2004 to 2013.The late councilor was elected again in 2019 to become one of the members of the 15th Sangguniang Panlungsod whose terms will end at noon on June 30.