Marlon Garcia, mayor of Barili town in southern Cebu province, died on Sunday, September 6.

Garcia is also the younger brother of Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia.

Garcia’s death was confirmed in a Facebook post by his brother, Winston Garcia. “To lose one brother is painful enough, but to lose another brother in the same week, my heart just can not take any further. The true fighter that he was, my brother, Marlon has been fighting for his life for the last few weeks,” Winston said.

“This morning, he joins my brother, Nelson, and my mother in heaven,” he added.

The post did not mention Garcia’s cause of death.

This comes after the Cebu governor confirmed in a speech on August 2 that Marlon had tested positive for COVID-19.

The younger Garcia was elected mayor of the 2nd class municipality in 2016, and won reelection in 2019.

The southwestern Cebu town is about an hour away from Cebu City.

Marlon is the second brother from the powerful Garcia political dynasty to die in the same week.

Earlier this week, on Tuesday, September 1, Marlon’s brother and former mayor of Dumanjug town Nelson also died.

The Cebu Provincial Public Information Office’s official statement did not specify Nelson’s cause of death.

A total of 6 Cebu mayors had announced they tested positive for coronavirus since the outbreak began in March. – Rappler.com