SCROLL down: the range of reasons given by candidates in deciding to toss their hats into the 2019 ring: from the wishes of the Chiongs in Naga City to be judged by voters on their conduct regarding the Tinaan landslide to the long-running campaign of the opposition in Lapu-Lapu City to topple the Radazas
* FIRST, the cliff-hangers that may or may not yet have ended:
-- Gwen Garcia's running mate. Aside from Val Chiong being asked to run as vice governor, Mandaue City Mayor Luigi Quisumbing was also asked, as part of the "united PDP Laban" front that was arranged by power brokers.
-- Whether Mayr Vicente Loot, whom President Duterte repeatedly shamed on the public stage as a "narco-listed" mayor, has bowed out of the political scene as he indicated he would because of threats on his life.
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Still to be dug out: reason for swap
Cebu Governor Junjun Davide gave his reason for sliding down and exchanging places with Vice Governor Agnes Magpale but the real reason will be probed in conversations for days to come.
Sooner than later, inside stories will come out. For now, people just look at the match of the decades: woman against woman for the highest position of the province.
Did outsiders see it coming? At least, SunStar banner-headlined it on the day the announcement was made.
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Explained: why Agnes, Dave still to file
Vice Governor Agnes Magpale didn't file her COC with Governor Junjun Davide Tuesday (October 16). Cebu City Councilor Dave Tumulak also did not join his colleagues at BOPK at their mass filing.
Having second thoughts? Their explanation: their CONAs (certificates of nomination and acceptance) were still coming from Manila: Magpale's from Nationalist People's Coalition and Tumulak's from Nacionalista Party. Each has a local party (Bakud and BOPK respectively) but the national party does the nomination.
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Quick reads: why they run
[1] JUAN PONCE ENRILE, for senator. Would you believe that he is running for public office again? He said Tuesday (October 16) he'd send people to file his COC. Why, at his age (95). He said his brain is still all right, no matter that his hearing and eyesight are weak and he can hardly walk. You don't wrestle at the Senate, he said.
And he said he could help solve the country's ills. By revising history, among other ways?
[2] CHAN-SITOY in Lapu-Lapu City. Junard "Ahong" Chan for mayor and Celedonio "Celsi" Sitoy for vice mayor, hope to end the 18-year hold of the city by the Radaza family.. Chan will face "come-backing" Arturo "Boy" Boy Radaza, the father, while Eugene Espedido will go against incumbent mayor Paz Radaza, the wife, who'll fill her daughter Representative Aileen Radaza's slot. No, Legislative Liaison Secretary Ade Sitoy won't be running for local office. But he will be very much part of it, behind the scene. He is one of the architects in building a strong PDP-Laban alliance in Mandaue against Luigi.
[3] THE CHIONGS in Naga City. A father-daughter team with former mayor Val Chiong, for mayor, and his daughter incumbent mayor Kristine Chiong. Reason: they won't leave Nagahanons, good times or bad, and will seek to be judged by the voters for the killer landslide.
[4] BROTHERS DIAMANTE in Tuburan. Incumbent Vice Mayor Danilo Diamante will swap places with incumbent Mayor Aljun Diamante in Tuburan, Cebu. Aljun junked his plan to run for congressman in Cebu's third district. Setup is due to failure of Aljun to get what he wanted; he had been preparing for the congressional run.
[5] MAR ROXAS for senator. Manuel Roxas II -- former DILG secretary, senator and defeated candidate for president in 2016 -- will run for senator. He will end his "semi-retirement" from politics. He never actually retired as he took part in the last electoral fight. He is named after his grandfather president Manuel Roxas.
[6] BONG GO, presidential special assistant or Duterte's "go-for," ended months of speculation by filing his COC Monday, October 15. He is deemed resigned but said he'd still be near the president even if he is not paid. And get free publicity during the campaign? Nice try.
[7] DUTERTES in Davao City. Mayor Sara Carpio-Duterte did not do a Digong and stuck to her word she wouldn't run for senator. She filed her COC for mayor. Skeptics say a candidate could be substituted on or before November 29, which would still be part of the stunt, if it were one. Her brother Paolo will be fielded in Davao's first congressional district. As to that "wild rumor" that the other brother, Sebastian, would run for mayor in Danao City, there's no sign it would happen. Sara said Baste is being persuaded to run as her vice mayor, in Davao.
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