Arenas first to file COC at provincial Comelec
Ramoncito Arenas, son of socialite Rosemarie “Baby” Arenas, is the very first candidate to have filed his certificate of candidacy (COC) at the Provincial Comelec (Commission on Election) office.
Arenas filed his COC for congressman of the Second District of Iloilo yesterday morning around 10:30 a.m.
He was accompanied by his mother and some political leaders from the Second District. Also seen accompanying Arenas were Barotac Viejo Mayor Raul Tupas and former Vice Governor Roberto Armada, who will be running for governor and vice governor, respectively, provincial administrator Manuel Mejorada and former Leganes Mayor Ike Rojas.
Arenas filed his candidacy under the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC). He said he will be having an alliance with the camp of Tupas who is under the Liberal Party-Ugyon.
Arenas said his filing of COC erases doubts about his seriousness in going against the reign of the Syjucos in the Second District.
It is not yet clear on who between the couple incumbent Rep. Judy Syjuco and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Director General Augusto Syjuco will run for congressman in next year’s election.
In an interview during the Christmas party of the Syjucos’ Taguipuso-on Foundation recently TESDA’s Syjuco said that he might be the one to run for congressman if the health condition of his wife will not permit.
Mayor Tupas yesterday confirmed that Arenas will be their group’s candidate for congressman in the Second District.
It is public knowledge that Pavia Mayor Arcadio Gorriceta also intends to run for congressman in the Second District.
However, there are talks that Gorriceta may give way to Arenas in order to solidify their forces against the Syjucos.
Earlier, Leon Mayor Romulo Cabana, campaign manager of the Syjucos, said that six of the eight mayors in the Second District are solidly behind the Syjucos. They are mayors Juanito Alipao of Alimodian, Greg Villarico of San Miguel, Gregorio Brazas of Zarraga, Liecel Mondejar-Seville of New Lucena, Adolf Jaen of Leganes and himself.
