SEVENTY-SIX political aspirants have filed certificates of candidacy (COCs) seeking election for the different positions in this city for the 2019 mid-term polls.
Of the total, six have filed COC for mayor; three, vice mayor; seven, first legislative district representative; five, second legislative district representative; 32, first district councilor; and 23, second district councilor.
Lawyer Stephen Roy Cañete, first district election officer, said among the mayoralty aspirants are reelection-seeking Mayor Maria Isabelle Climaco-Salazar and first district Representative Celso Lobregat, both of whom are on their second term of office.
Both Lobregat and Salazar are offspring of the so-called local “political giants.”
Lobregat is the son of the late Mayor Maria Clara Lobregat, while Salazar is the niece of legendary Mayor Cesar Climaco who defeated the elder Lobregat for the lone seat in the then 1984 Batasan Pambansa.
The father of Salazar, Jose Climaco, the younger brother of Cesar, has also served as vice mayor of this city.
The four other aspirants for the position of mayor are: Sukarno Ikbala, a retired police general; Danilo Guevarra; Christopher Miguel; and Nur Sangkula Sahibul.
Cañete said the aspirants in the vice mayoralty race are all seeking election for first term of office since incumbent Vice Mayor Cesar Iturralde, who is in his third term, is running for congressman in the second legislative district as an independent candidate.
The candidates for vice mayor are: Councilor Rommel Agan and former councilors Melchor Rey Sadain and Roel Natividad.
The aspirants for congressman in the first legislative district are: Councilor Rodolfo Bayot; Dr. Cesar Climaco Jr., the son of the legendary mayor Cesar Climaco; former councilor Cesar Jimenez; Jose Lobregat, the elder brother of Congressman Celso Lobregat; Taib Nasaron; Daniel Nuevo; and lawyer Wendell Sotto.
Aside from Iturralde, the candidates for congressman in the second legislative district are: Congressman Jose Manuel Dalipe II; former congressman Erico Basilion Fabian; former congresswoman Lilia Macrohon-Nuño; and Jonathan Perez, a retired police officer.
Cañete said there are 32 aspirants, including six incumbents, for councilor in the first district while 23, including seven incumbents, in the second district.
Those seeking reelection in the first district are: Councilors Elbert Atilano; Marxander Jaime Cabato; Cesar Jimenez Sr.; Rodolfo Lim; Joselito Macrohon; and, Josephine Pareja.
The incumbents in the second district are: Councilors Miguel Alavar III; Teodyver Arquiza; Lilibeth Nuño-Belloso; Al-Jihan Edding; Juan Climaco Elago II; Benjamin Guingona IV; and, Jimmy Villaflores. (SunStar Philippines)