More bets expected to troop various Comelec offices
More candidates for the various positions in the province of Iloilo are expected to troop to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) provincial office today, the last day of filing of Certificate of Candidacy (COC).
The provincial Comelec office in Burgos St., La Paz will be open until midnight to accept COC filers.
The News Today learned that some groups were not yet firmed up until yesterday or a day before the deadline of COC filing.
As of press time yesterday the provincial Comelec recorded 17 candidates to have filed their COCs for different positions.
Yesterday morning the group of Third District Rep. Arthur Defensor Sr. and First District Board Member Richard Garin trooped to the provincial Comelec to file their COCs for governor and vice governor, respectively, under the Lakas-Kampi-CMD party.
They were accompanied by party mates Board Member Arthur Defensor Jr., who filed his candidacy for Third District Representative; former Board Member Licurgo Tirador and Juanito Acanto, who filed their candidacies for Board Member of Third District; Second District Board Member Rodolfo Cabado, who filed his COC as reelectionist; and Fifth District Board Member Jesus Salcedo Jr. who also filed his candidacy as reelectionist.
Defensor’s group was followed by Atty. Boy Lauron who filed his candidacy for congressman of the Third District under the Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino of Pres. Joseph Estrada.
Media also waited yesterday afternoon for the filing of COCs of reelectionist First District Rep. Janette Loreto-Garin and candidates for First District Board Member reelectionist Macario Napulan and former Oton Mayor Carina Flores, who all belong to the Lakas-Kampi-CMD party.
Also catching the 5 p.m. deadline yesterday was former Miag-ao Mayor Gerardo Flores who filed his candidacy for Board Member of the First District under the Liberal Party.
Provincial Comelec records showed that the first to file his COC was Ramon “Citoy” Arenas for congressman of the Second District under the Nationalist People’s Coalition last November 26.
Next to him was former broadcaster Jose Ben Palma who filed his candidacy for Board Member of the Fourth District as an independent last November 27.
Third on the list is Norbert P. Gil of Mina, Iloilo who filed his COC for governor as an independent. It was learned that Gil also ran for governor in the elections of 1998, 2001, and 2004.
Fourth is Diopito Gonzales who filed his COC for congressman of the Second District as an independent candidate. Gonzales also ran for the same position last 2007 election.
Last Saturday, November 28, Fourth District Rep. Ferjenel Biron, who just sworn in with the Nacionalist Party of Sen. Manny Villar, filed his COC as reelectionist. With him were NP bets for Board Member of the Fourth District Dumangas Vice Mayor Hernan Biron Jr. and Ronald Cahuya.
Biron earlier clarified that although he belongs to a different party his alliance with Defensor Sr. is still intact.
On the same day, Governor Niel Tupas Sr. along with his son Fifth District Rep. Niel Tupas Jr. also filed their candidacies for congressmen of Fourth District and Fifth District, respectively, under the Liberal Party.
Last Sunday, November 29, provincial Comelec records showed that only one candidate filed his COC in the person of TESDA Director-General Augusto Syjuco for congressman of the Second District under the Lakas-Kampi-CMD party.
Today, expected to file their candidacies are the gubernatorial and vice gubernatorial bets of the LP, other candidates for Congress and for Board Member in the different districts of the province.
