Second day of filing, Bets arrive in trickles

CEBU, Philippines - More candidates for governor filed their certificates of candidacy yesterday, as some mayoral bets also went to their respective poll offices in the towns to do the same.

That, as the Cebu City Police Coordinating and Advisory Council assured tighter security for the Cebu City Comelec offices on Thursday and Friday when suporters of Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan and of Mayor Michael Rama are expected to troop to the election offices to support their candidates.

Roliveth “Boyet” Cortes, 47, filed his COC at 11:18 a.m. as independent candidate for governor. He claimed to be a creative and media planner registered as voter in Subangdaku, Mandaue City. He is handling a weekly TV show, “Lets Do Business.” A certain Hermelito Bulala, 38, of Guiwanon, Barili also filed his COC as independent at 1:12pm. He claimed to be a law graduate but unemployed.

At 11:52am, Cebu City Councilor Raul Alcoseba filed his COC for Provincial Board member in the first district under Liberal Party. He is a registered voter of Carcar City.

In Consolacion, re-electionist Mayor Teresa Alegado and her runningmate Vice Mayor Aurelio Damole and councilorial slate filed their certificate of candidacy yesterday morning after attending mass. They were accompanied by Sixth District Rep. Gabriel “Luigi” Quisumbing, who filed his COC last Monday.

In Daanbantayan, around 2,000 household coordinators and barangay volunteers showed up to support to the leadership of Mayor Maria Luisa Loot who, along with her complete slate, filed their COCs at the local election office yesterday.

Nacionalista Party (NP) provincial chairman, first district Rep. Eduardo Gullas, issued the certificates of nomination and acceptance of Loot and her slates.

Fourth district Rep. Benhur Salimbangon and Provincial Board Members Sun Shimura and Joven Mondigo Jr. proclaimed the candidates.

Loot stressed that although their CONA were issued by NP of Senator Manny Villar, they are under the political leadership of Salimbangon who belongs to National Unity Party (NUP) in Congress and One Cebu party in the province.

While NUP is in coalition with the Liberal Party (LP) in Manila, Salimbangon is supporting One Cebu’s gubernatorial bet, third district Rep. Pablo John Garcia. Salimbangon proclaimed Loot’s group as candidates of the NUP-LP-One Cebu coalition.

Loot earlier expressed support to LP’s gubernatorial bet, Hilario Davide III. “Bahin sa gobernador, unya nalang ta maghisgut ana sa pagsulod na sa tuig 2013,” Loot said in her speech. (Let’s talk about the race for governor only when 2013 comes.)

Loot sought another political party when she bolted from One Cebu after her rift with Governor Gwendolyn Garcia but the two have reconciled. Despite her earlier pronouncement of supporting Davide, Loot did not join LP because of the Martinezes.

Davide assured Loot of not putting up an opponent against her but Bogo City Mayor Celestino “Junie” Martinez Jr. as district chairman of LP is reportedly fielding their candidates in Daanbantayan.

In Cebu City, PCAC Presiding Officer Eugene Elizalde said that more police will be detailed in the Comelec office and within the vicinity to avoid riot or conflict between supporters of different candidates. They will also patrol areas like Fuente and Mabolo (SM area) where groups are likely to start their rally.

Elizalde said the PCAC is not worried about the candidates at all, but is more worried on the supporters.

“We have peaceful candidates man. We are more worried about the supporters, we don’t know what they can do,” he said. – (FREEMAN)