THE lone challenger of incumbent Mayor Danilo Guintu for the mayoralty post in the May 2019 elections has withdrawn from the race.
Christopher Bondoc, a councilor who is serving his third term, filed his statement of withdrawal a couple of hours before the filing of certificates of candidacy (COCs) ended on Wednesday afternoon, October 17.
The surprising turn of events was confirmed by Commission on Elections (Comelec) Masantol officer Hilda Dizon to Sun.Star Pampanga in a phone interview Friday, October 19.
Dizon disclosed that Bondoc submitted five copies of his statement of withdrawal at 2:57 p.m. Wednesday, invalidating the COC he filed on October 15. He was supposed to run as an independent candidate.
“That would be official and irreversible since the scheduled filing of COCs for the May 2019 elections was already closed on October 17 at exactly 5:00 p.m.,” Dizon said.
Asked if Bondoc cited a reason for his withdrawal, Dizon said the outgoing Sangguniang Bayan member simply filed his certificate of withdrawal and immediately went out of the office after it was received.
In a separate phone interview with Sun.Star Pampanga, Bondoc confirmed that he withdrew his bid to challenge Guintu on his third and final term, and decided to just serve the public as an ordinary citizen.
He declined to give further statements about his decision, but expressed assurance for his supporters that he will continue delivering public service in any way he could.
Unopposed
Meanwhile, the withdrawal of Bondoc from the mayoralty race left Guintu uncontested in his bid to serve his third and final term as local chief executive of Masantol, a first in the history of town politics.
Guintu said that Bondoc’s political decision is a “welcome development” on his part. He also recognized the resolution of the municipal legislator to give him the chance to finish his nine-year term.
“We are grateful and elated for that news. I am not privy of his (Bondoc) reason but I hope it includes seeing my sincerity in serving our fellow Masantoleños and the projects that I implemented in my last five years as mayor of our town,” he said.
Guintu said he was “very much humbled” and that he owes it to the people who believe and trust his leadership throughout the years.
He added that having no challengers will give him more time to work and focus on implementing projects aimed at further developing Masantol and address all problems, particularly flooding.
Guintu, likewise, expressed his gratitude to Governor Lilia Pineda, Vice- Governor Dennis Pineda and Representative Juan Pablo “Rimpy” Bondoc for supporting him and including him in the province’s unity ticket.
As an unopposed candidate, Dizon explained that Guintu only needs to secure at least one vote in the coming May 2019 elections for him to be proclaimed as winner.
While the mayoral post is uncontested, the vice-mayoral race will be a three-way battle among incumbent Vice-Mayor Ralph Nulud, Guintu’s runningmate three-term Councilor Epifanio “Boboy” Lacap, Jr., and former three-term mayor Peter Flores.
At least 15 candidates will also battle it out to secure a seat in the eight-member Sangguniang Bayan (municipal council) in the 2019 polls.