POLITICAL veterans, a basketball player, an actor and a bunch of turncoats are expected to file their certificates of candidacy within the next seven days. Today is the first day of the filing of certificates of candidacy (COCs), which ends on Oct. 17. There will be no filing on Saturday and Sunday.
Can anyone imagine a Danao City without a Durano? A bunch of Duranos are seeking reelection in the May 2019 elections.
Danao City
The political kingpin of Cebu’s fifth district has ordered all his political allies—from Danao City to the 10 towns of the district—to be ready with their COCs, which they will file next week.
Danao City Mayor Ramon “Nito” Durano III will run for reelection on May 13. His son, Vice Mayor Thomas Mark “Mick” Durano, will also be seeking reelection. Nito is the father of Rep. Ramon “Red” Durano VI (Cebu, 5th district), former Department of Tourism (DOT) secretary Jose Ace Durano, and former Cebu board member Carmen Remedios “Ivy” Durano-Meca.
Nito is also the chairman emeritus of the regional party Barug Alang sa Kauswagan ug Demokrasya or Bakud, which is in coalition with Hugpong Pagbabago, which is the local party of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte. In the national level, Bakud is allied with the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC).
Nito is the cousin of President Rodrigo Duterte.
Cebu City
In Cebu City though, both Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan and Barug PDP-Laban have yet to release their complete lineup. But Cebuano personalities Dondon Hontiveros, a former professional basketball player, and Richard “Sir Chief” Yap, an actor, are joining the lineup of Barug PDP-Laban—the city’s opposition party.
Councilor Joel Garganera said the party met yesterday to discuss the final details of their filing.
Hontiveros will be running as city councilor in the south district while Yap is one of the opposition’s probable candidates for Cebu City north district representative.
Yap, who is also a businessman, was previously registered as a voter of Barangay Guadalupe before transferring to Manila in 2016. He registered again in Cebu City last month, this time as a resident of Barangay Apas.
Former Calape mayor Ernest Herrera also announced that he will be running as city councilor in the north district under Barug PDP-Laban.
“I am more inclined to support persons with disabilities because my dad was a polio victim, and at the same time, women and children because of the different organizations I’m handling,” said Herrera, the son of the late senator Ernesto Herrera.
Although she will no longer run, Councilor Margarita Osmeña said that before the party members file their COCs on Monday, they will attend a holy mass before proceeding to the office of the Commission on Elections.
Osmeña is serving her last term as city councilor.
Former councilor Alvin Dizon is hoping to return as councilor in the north district.
“Mayor Tommy Osmeña has offered me to be a part of the BOPK slate for next year’s midterm elections. I believe I can help the city a lot with its programs on housing and urban poor issues should I win the trust of the Cebuanos again next year,” he said.
Talisay City
Rep. Gerald Anthony “Samsam” Gullas (Cebu, 1st district) made a clarification yesterday on his grandfather’s health: Talisay City Mayor Eduardo Gullas is in good health and will run for congressional representative of the first district—a position he previously held.
The younger Gullas made this statement yesterday after he received text messages that his grandfather reportedly suffered a mild stroke and might no longer proceed with his congressional run.
Samsam, for his part, will run for Talisay City mayor.
The text message also states that on Oct. 13, Gullas’ 88th birthday, he will announce his retirement from politics.
“Hangyo lang unta ko sa among mga kaatbang sa politika, instead of throwing fake news and false accusations, ipahibaw ang Talisaynon sa inyong platform of government. (We request our opponents that instead of sharing fake news and false accusations, they should just share their platform of government to the Talisaynons),” the younger Gullas said in his Facebook page.
City of Naga
City of Naga Mayor Kristine Vanessa Chiong confirmed that she will be running in next year’s elections, but she has yet to decide on whether it will be for reelection or to run for vice mayor under her father.
She also confirmed that both she and her father Valdemar Chiong, the former city mayor, were courted by One Cebu to serve as running mate of Rep. Gwendolyn Garcia (Cebu, 3rd district), who confirmed that she will be running for governor next year.
Mayor Chiong said she and her father declined as both want to focus their energy in Naga.
Lapu-Lapu City
Elected officials of Lapu-Lapu City have left President Duterte’s PDP-Laban and are now allied with Lakas-CMD.
Mayor Paz Radaza sent a letter to the national office of PDP to renounce their membership to the party. However, she clarified that this is only as far as local politics is concerned. Her slate is still supporting the country’s ruling party as far as the national political level is concerned.
Radaza, who is on her last term as city mayor, will run for Lapu-Lapu’s lone congressional seat.
Radaza’s group was confused why Presidential Adviser on Legislative Affairs Adelino Sitoy declared Pajo Barangay Captain Junard “Ahong” Chan as PDP-Laban’s standard bearer in the city.
She also clarified that there will be no Ahong - Radaza tandem, which became a hot topic among the barangays.
“Mahimo diay na nga PDP ko, akong ka-lineup tanan dia sa laing partido? Mora man kog buang (Is that possible—that I’m PDP but my entire lineup is from another party? I would look mad),” said Radaza of the local party Team Derecho.
Chan, for his part, said that his decision will depend on the pulse of the Oponganons. He admitted that Sitoy is courting him to run for mayor in the city against the Radazas, who have held the mayoralty position for close to two decades.
Meanwhile, Cebu Auxiliary Bishop Oscar Florencio urged aspiring candidates to focus their campaign on improving the lives of their constituents. (EOB, RVC, JKV & FVQ)