MANILA, Philippines - Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista and Vice Mayor Josefina “Joy” Belmonte filed yesterday their certificates of candidacy with the local Commission on Elections (Comelec) office in the city in their bid for reelection.
Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. accompanied Bautista and Belmonte, who are the official candidates of the Liberal Party (LP) in the 2013 elections, in filing their COCs.
They were joined by LP bets for councilors and congressmen for the six districts in the city.
Those vying for council seats in the first district are reelectionists Ricardo “RJ” Belmonte, Dorothy Delarmente, Alexis Herrera, former councilor Victor Ferrer Jr. and neophytes Erlinda Madrilejo and Lena Penson Juico.
Incumbent Councilor Francisco “Boy” Calalay will run for congressman in the first district.
Representatives Winston “Winnie” Castelo and Jorge “Bolet” Banal Jr. and Speaker Belmonte will run as representatives of District 2, District 3, and District 4, respectively.
Incumbent Councilor and actor Alfred Vargas will run for congressman for the newly created District 5 while Christopher “Kit” Belmonte will be running for congressman in District 6.
Among the candidates for councilor in District 2 are Roderick Paulate, Mari Grace “Precious” Hipolito-Castelo, Ranulfo Ludovica, Ramon Medalla and Estrella Valmocina.
Incumbent Councilors Jaime Borres, Julian Coseteng, Allan Benedict Reyes, Gian Sotto and Eufemio Lagumbay are the candidates for councilor in District 3.
District 4 candidates include Raquel Malangen, Jessica Castelo-Daza, Jesus Manuel Suntay, Vincent Belmonte, Marvin Rillo and Bayani Hipol.
Godofredo Liban, Julienne Alyson Rae Medina, Carlito Bernardino and Karl Edgar Cupino-Castelo are among the candidates for councilor in District 5.
Marivic Co-Pilar, Eden Delilah Medina, Diorella Maria “Lala” Sotto, Melencio Castelo, Rogelio Pabaya Juan and Donato Matias are running for councilors in District 6.
Binay seeks second term as Makati mayor
Makati City Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay yesterday officially signified his intention to seek his second term by filing his COC with the Comelec office in the city.
Binay was accompanied by his running mate Majorie de Veyra and the 16 candidates for city council. They are all running under the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA).
UNA leader and Vice President Jejomar Binay and his wife, former Makati mayor Dr. Elenita Binay, accompanied their son and his entire ticket in filing their COCs.
Also seeking reelection under the UNA banner are incumbent Makati Representatives Monique Yasmin Lagdameo of District 1 and Mar-Len Abigail Binay-Campos of District 2.
Echiverris file COCs for Mayor, Congressman
Caloocan City Mayor Enrico “Recom” Echiverri filed yesterday his COC for congressman in the city’s first district while his son, Councilor Ricojudge “RJ” Echiverri, will seek the mayoral post.
RJ, who is running under LP like his father, will have Tito Varela as his vice mayor. Luis “Baby” Asistio was initially reported as the running mate of RJ. Yesterday, Asistio filed his COC as representative in the city’s second district.
Accompanied by their supporters, the Echiverris attended a Mass at the San Roque Paris Church before filing their COCs.
Meanwhile, incumbent Vice Mayor Edgardo Erice, who earlier announced his intention to join the mayoralty race, said yesterday that he is no longer running in next year’s polls.
Sources said that Erice was prevailed upon by President Aquino and other Palace executives.
The source said that Erice and Echiverri were called to a meeting in Malacañang Tuesday night to settle the issue as to who would be the administration’s official candidates in Caloocan.
Both Erice and Echiverri are LP members.
In Malabon City, Antolin “Len-Len” Aquino Oreta III, acting Malabon City mayor, filed yesterday his candidacy for mayor.
He is running under LP.
Oreta, son of former senator Tessie Aquino Oreta, served as Malabon acting mayor early this year after his uncle Canuto Oreta died of lung cancer.
Gunigundo vs Gatchalian in Valenzuela
Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) bet and political neophyte Adel Gunigundo is running for mayor of Valenzuela City against Rep. Rexlon Gatchalian.
Gunigundo, wife of incumbent District 2 Rep. Magtanggol Gunigundo, filed her COC yesterday.
If she wins, Gunigundo said she will find solutions to mitigate flooding in the city.
Gunigundo’s candidacy was endorsed during a convention of the Lakas-CMD, LP, PDP-Laban and Nacionalista Party coalition last Sept. 27.
Councilor Richie Cuadra will run as congressman in the first district against incumbent Mayor Sherwin Gatchalian.
Gatchalian earlier announced that he will no longer pursue his Senate bid.
He will be filing his COC with Shalani Soledad, who is running as representative in the second district, tomorrow at the Comelec main office in Intramuros, Manila.
Bernabe, Olivarez vie for Parañaque mayor
Incumbent Parañaque Rep. Edwin Olivarez and Councilor Florencio Bernabe III have filed their COCs for mayor of Parañaque.
Lawyer Jonalyn Savellano, Parañaque City Comelec head, said Olivarez is running under the administration-led coalition with Bong Benson as his running mate.
Rico Golez, on the other hand, is running for vice mayor under UNA.
Biazon is UNA’s guest candidate
Muntinlupa Rep. Rodolfo Biazon of LP will be the guest candidate of UNA for the congressional race in the city.
Omar Acosta, UNA spokesman for Muntinlupa, said Biazon, who filed his COC for the lone congressional district in the city, will be included in the slate of UNA.
Incumbent Mayor Aldrin San Pedro, who will be seeking reelection together with his running mate Vice Mayor Artemio Simunda and the entire UNA slate of Muntinlupa will file their COCs tomorrow.
San Pedro, who is a member of Partido ng Masang Pilipino, is the chairman of UNA in the National Capital Region. – With Mike Frialde, Jerry Botial, Pete Laude, Perseus Echeminada