45 vie for Cebu Provincial Board seats

CEBU, Philippines - The filing of certificates of candidacy ended last Friday with 45 would-be candidates vying for 14 regular seats in the Cebu Provincial Board come 2016 national and local elections.

Based on the Commission on Elections’ certified list of candidates, there are 72 aspirants, including those seeking for elective seats in the House of Representatives, who filed their COCs at the poll body’s provincial office.

For the Provincial Board representing first district, the aspirants are Raul Bacaltos of Alayon, Ramonito Alcoseba (Liberal Party), Cesar Albor (One Cebu), Yolanda Daan (NP-Alayon), Abet Oliver Oro (PDP-LABAN), Eduardo Adlawan (Kilusang Bagong Lipunan), Alberto Patalinghug (KBL), Oscar Canton (Promdi), Manuel Sanchez (Independent), and Danilo Santinitigan (party not indicated).

For the second district: Carmiano Kintanar of One Cebu, Andrade Alcantara (One Cebu), Raymund Joseph Calderon (Liberal Party), Jose Mari Salvador (One Cebu), Edgar Pangandoyon (independent), Edsel Galeos (independent).

Third district: Jeffrey Anthony Yapha (LP), Rheamae Paran (One Cebu), Victoria Corominas (independent), Farid Baena (independent), Alex Binghay (independent), Bernardo Desabelle (independent), Jorge Gorrero (independent), Alexander Nunez.

Fourth district: Sun Shimura (National Unity Party), Oscar Monzales (independent), Horacio Franco (LP), Jose Ribomapel Holganza Jr. (LP), Randolph Rivera (independent), Chad Kenneth Cañares (NUP), Boyet Bantilan.

Fifth district: Miguel Magpale (LP), Jude Sybico (LP), Abel Dondoyanon (UNA), Recto De Dios (One Cebu), and Edgar Maestrado (One Cebu).

Sixth district: Thadeo Ouano (One Cebu), Glen Bercede (LP), Julius Alegado (LP), and Victor Maampong (One Cebu-Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan or the Philippine Democratic Party).

Seventh district: Salvador Saromines (One Cebu), Christopher Baricuatro (LP), Jerome Christian Librando (LP), Maria Fema Duterte (One Cebu) and Godofredo Lucero (PDP-Laban).

There are two available seats in the province’s legislative body for each district.

Four other aspirants also joined Cebu Governor Hilario Davide III of Liberal Party and Winston Garcia of One Cebu Party in the gubernatorial race.

They are Leandro Boy Patalinghug of KBL, Ro-liveth “Klasmit Boyet” Cortes, Nonito Magnanao, and Desiderio Estinozo (party not indicated).

Nerissa Corazon Ruiz of One Cebu, Agnes Magpale (LP-Barug Alang sa Kauswagan ug Demokrasya, and Juanito Montenegro (party not indicated) will also be vying for vice governor.

Meanwhile, there are 16 aspirants for House of Representatives, namely; Gerald Anthony Gullas Jr. (Alayon), Antonio Canoy (Nacionalista People’s Coalition), and Michael Nunez (PDP-LABAN) for first district; Teresita Celis (One Cebu), Wilfredo Caminero (LP), and Cora-Lou Kintanar (United Nationalist Alliance) for second district; Gwendolyn Garcia (One Cebu), Grecilda Sanchez (LP), and Teodoro Osorio (party not indicated) for third district.

Benhur Salimbangon (NUP) and Celestino Martinez Jr. (LP) are vying for the fourth district congressional district.

Other hopefuls are Luis Reyes Jr. (One Cebu), Ramon Red Durano VI (NPC), and Virginia Velasco (UNA) for fifth district; Paulus Mariae Cañete (One Cebu), and Jonas Cortes (LP) for the sixth district; and Pablo John Garcia (One Cebu and Peter John Calderon for the newly created seventh district.

Comelec-Cebu provincial election supervisor Lionel Marco Castillano submitted yesterday to the Comelec central office the list of candidates for review.

Lawyer Ferdinand Gujilde, Comelec-Cebu election officer, said Comelec has the power to reject nuisance candidates, cancel certificate or even disqualify candidates as provided for under the Omnibus Election Code.

Castillano earlier said that petitions for disqualifications against candidates can be filed within five days after the last day of the filing of COCs.

He said that substitution of a candidate by the party is allowed until December 10. Castillano, however, said that a candidate who died or is disqualified by final judgment can still be substituted by the party up to mid-day of election day provided that the substitute has the same surname. (FREEMAN)