A TOTAL of 35 candidates in Bacolod City have filed their certificates of candidacy (COC) from October 11 to 17 at the local Commission on Elections (Comelec) office.
City Election Registrar Atty. Mavil Majarucon-Sia said yesterday three candidates for congressman filed their COCs - incumbent Congressman Greg Gasataya of Grupo Progreso (GP), former Bacolod City mayor Monico Puentevella of Asenso para sa Buas-damlag sang Bacolodnon-Magbinuligay Kita sa Kauswagan (ABB-MKK), and Dr. Jan Kevin Moises, an independent candidate.
Also, three candidates filed their COCs for mayor which include incumbent Mayor Evelio Leonardia of GP, former councilor Jocelle Batapa-Sigue of ABB-MKK, and mediaman Ray Carmona, an independent candidate.
For vice mayor, there were two candidates including incumbent Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran of GP, and former vice mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson of ABB-MKK.
For councilor, there were 27 candidates include the GP’s slate incumbent Councilors Dindo Ramos, Cindy Rojas, Renecito Novero, Bartolome Orola, Ana Marie Palermo and Elmer Sy; Simple Distrito, Marlon Solidum, Israel Salanga, former councilors Jose Carlos Lopez, Al Victor Espino and Archie Baribar.
The ABB-MKK’s slate include incumbent Councilors Wilson Gamboa Jr. and Claudio Puentevella, former councilor Homer Bais, Edwin Balajadia, Butch Ebreo, mediaman Rommel Jamero, Bernabe Sibug, Rico Villafuerte, village chieftain of Barangay 40 Elmer Villanueva, Barangay Sum-ag Sangguniang Kabataan chairman Jason Villarosa, and Bobby Montelibano; and an independent candidates former councilor Celia Flor, Paulo Lacson, Wilfredo David, and Allan Arroyo.
Majarucon-Sia said on the last day of filing yesterday, only Flor and Lacson filed their COCs.
She said they will submit the COCs to the Comelec law department to evaluate and determine if the candidates have disqualification cases, among others.
“The list of certified candidates will really come from the law department,” she added.
In the 2016 elections, there were also 27 candidates for councilors unlike in 2010, wherein 40 to 50 ran for councilor.