Camanava bets swamp Comelec

Local candidates in the Caloocan-Malabon-Navotas-Valenzuela (Camanava) area eyeing various positions in their localities swamped their respective Commission of Elections (Comelec) offices yesterday, the last day of filing of certificates of candidacy (COCs).

As of 3 p.m. yesterday, four aspirants eyeing the mayoral seat in Caloocan City have already filed their respective COCs, namely, Reps. Enrico Echiverri (PDP-Laban-Koalisyon ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino), Edgardo Erice (Liberal Party), Macario "Boy" Asistio Jr., (Liping Kalookan, a local party) and Gwendolyn "Gigi" Emnace-Malonzo (Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats).

Their respective running mates are Chito Abel, Isaac Domingo, Zaldy Quimpo and Tito Varela. Some 23 candidates for councilor have already filed their COCs.

City Mayor Reynaldo Malonzo who is making his bid for the congressional seat in District 1 of Caloocan City yesterday filed his COC together with Councilor Benedicto Gonzales, who is running under the Lakas-CMD ticket in the city’s second district.

In Malabon City, Armando Mallorca said two aspirants, Acting Mayor Mark Allan Jay Yambao (Lakas) and former ABC president Canuto Oreta (NPC). Jeannie Sandoval, wife of Malabon-Navotas Rep. Ricky Sandoval, is also after the mayor’s seat and is expected to beat the deadline at 12 midnight Monday.

Florinda, the wife of City Mayor Amado Vicencio, who is now serving a 12-month suspension on conviction for charges of abuse of authority slapped by Malacañang in October last year, reported to be in the running for his husband’s post is expected to file her candidacy for vice mayor under Oreta’s ticket.

Some 32 aspirants will vie for the 12 seats in the Malabon City council.

A three-cornered fight looms in Valenzuela City after the wife of incumbent Mayor Bobbit Carlos, Margarita, Rep. Sherwin Gatchalian and Magtanggol Gunigundo I have filed their respective COCs.

Valenzuela City election officer Raymund Teano said as of 3 p.m. three vice mayors also filed their COCs and were Reynaldo Cuadra, Antonio Espiritu, and Antonio Bernardo. There were already 29 aspirants for councilors in the two districts.

In Navotas, incumbent Mayor Tobias Reynald Tiangco, 36, his vice mayor Lutgardo "Gardy" Cruz and 12 of the incumbent councilors (all running under the Partido Navoteño, a local party recognized by the Comelec) remain unchallenged.

As of 3 p.m. yesterday, Navotas Comelec chief Villamor Igne told The STAR no other person has filed his COC to run against the incumbent Tiangco. So far, 21 candidates have filed their COCs as councilors.

However, Igne said there are still six aspirants for the councilors’ seats expected to beat the deadline yesterday 12 midnight.

Igne revealed that yesterday morning, some men were sent by their unidentified bosses to get application forms from his office.

"It is as if they are contemplating on creating a complete ticket to face Tiangco’s own," Igne told The STAR. – With Pete Laude