FINAL THREE. Only three candidates file their certificate of candidacy for Davao mayor namely Alfredo Tocante, Rodrigo Duterte, and Teodoro Peña Mantilla. (Ace R. Morandante/davaotoday.com)

FINAL THREE. Only three candidates file their certificate of candidacy for Davao mayor namely Alfredo Tocante, Rodrigo Duterte, and Teodoro Peña Mantilla. (Ace R. Morandante/davaotoday.com)

DAVAO CITY – Members of the Davao press and supporters hold on to the edge of their seats inside the Commission on Elections office here until early evening waiting for former Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte to appear and file her certificate of candidacy for mayor. Only three mayoral candidates filed their COCs when the deadline of filing strike on Friday.

The younger Duterte posted a photo of her COC in her Instagram account Friday afternoon with captions “Digong, gahulat ko sa imuha. To all my fellow Filipinos, you will make him President, otherwise, lagot kayo lahat sa akin. Tandaan niyo ang araw na ito. Wala kami pera, wala kami makinarya.#justDUit # Duterte2016 Honor thy father and thy mother (Digong I am waiting for you. To all my fellow Filipinos, you will make him President, otherwise, you will answer to me. Remember this day. We don’t have money, we don’t have machinery).”

At 5:00 pm Friday, only three names of the candidates for mayor were posted including Alfredo Tocante, Rodrigo Roa Duterte, and Teodoro Peña Mantilla.

The elder Duterte filed his COC on Thursday afternoon through his executive assistant Christopher Go and secretary general of Hugpong sa Tawong Lungsod (Hugpong), Melchor Quitain.

On the Facebook account of Rody Duterte, he also reiterated that he is not interested in the presidency.

“A little over two years ago, I posted in the government website over the Internet that I was not interested in the Presidency. Nothing has changed. I am comfortable where I am now,” the post reads.

“If Inday Sara would want it, she has the choice of running in 2016 or the next election. Personally, the earlier the better. I want to retire. I am tired. Give the presidency to the one who wants it. I don’t,” it added.

Duterte’s post has 7,163 shares and 19,964 likes as of 7:26 pm Friday. The hashtag DuterteSerye (Duterte series) also has 421,931 reach and 525,201 impressions as of 7:32 pm.

Comelec Davao Assistant Regional Director Marlon Casquejo also clarified that Mayor Duterte’s COC is valid “in form and substance”.

Asked what was the implication if a COC for Duterte will be filed in Manila, Casquejo said it will cancel both COCs.

“Just in case there was another COC filed in Manila, the two COCs filed are not deemed filed. These are cancelled,” he said.

Only Paolo Duterte filed his COC for reelection as vice mayor under Hugpong. First district representative Karlo Alexei Nograles was also the only candidate for the first district representative, while re-electionist Mylene Garcia-Albano was the last to file her candidacy on Friday. She would be challenged by Christopher Abierra.

Two candidates also filed their COC for Congress representative of the third district: Councilor Karlo Bello and Rep. Isidro T. Ungab’s younger brother, Engr. Alberto Ungab.

Fifteen candidates filed their COCs for first district councilors. They are Paul Alain Paragoso, Nilo Abellera Jr, Joanne Bonguyan, Bonifacio Militar, Leah Librado, Pilar Braga, Edgar Ibuyan Jr. Jessie Mar Culaste, Jesus Melchor Quitain Jr, Jackson Reyes, Reynaldo Dignos, Maria Belen Acosta, Leonardo Avila III, John Christopher Mahamud, and Joseph Orilla.

The second district has 13 candidates for councilors namely Danilo Dayanghirang, Diosdado Mahipus, Al Ryan Alejandre, April Marie Dayap, Richlyn Justol, Marissa Salvador-Abella, Mario Masanguid, Dante Apostol, Janel Banzon, Ernie Alterado, Jimmy Dureza, Larry Maranan, and Maria Cherry Ann Bonguyan.

Fourteen candidates filed their COCs for the third district: Antoinette Principe, Mary Joselle Dilig-Villafuerte, Danilo Villafuerte, Jesus Joseph Zozobrado III, Avegayle Ortiz, Napoleon Rocero, Luzviminda Ilagan, Victorio Advincula Jr., Rene Elias Lopez, Dennis Ampon, Bernard Al-ag, Rogelio Montajes, Conrado Baluran, and Kenneth Jade Jumawid.

Casquejo said the filing of candidacies in Davao turned out peaceful. He said they will submit the complete list of candidates tomorrow to the law department who will be finalizing the list up to December 10.(davaotoday.com)

comments powered by Disqus