Nograles files COC for mayor

DAVAO CITY , Philippines – House Speaker and Davao representative Prospero Nograles yesterday filed his certificate of candidacy (COC) for mayor, challenging the daughter of incumbent mayor Rodrigo Duterte.

His wife Rhodora, family members, and around 300 supporters accompanied him when he filed his COC at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) office in Magsaysay Park. 

Nograles, who is on his third and last term like Duterte, is running against incumbent vice mayor Sara Duterte.

His son Karlo is running against the elder Duerte to represent the city in Congress.

“This will be like the most anticipated fight between Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather. And since I am an ardent Pacquiao supporter, I’ll be the Pacquiao in this fight. Me and my son will give them a good fight,” Nograles said.

Before he filed his COC, he announced his intention to run in a press conference at the residence of slain broadcaster Ferdinand “Batman” Lintuan at NHA Village in Barangay Ma-a.

Lintuan was gunned down two years ago by unidentified men. Nograles said he announced his candidacy for mayor in Lintuan’s house to emphasize the need to resolve the case.

Nograles, a bar topnotcher and former human rights lawyer, said he will change Davao City from being an international embarrassment because of its history of summary executions and assassinations.

“It is a crying shame that even the Maguindanao massacre is a puny act of horrific violence if we compare it with the number of execution-style deaths in Davao City which now accounts for more than a thousand deaths,” he said.

Around 800 people, reportedly petty criminals and oppositionists, are believed to have been executed by the so-called Davao Death Squad.

“Unlike Duterte’s creed that drug users and petty criminals are legitimate targets of assassinations, I believe that using fear to impose one’s will on the citizenry is sign of weak and incompetent leadership,” he said.

“Drug users and pushers cannot legally be legitimate targets of assassination. This is a basic and fundamental violation of human rights. We do not kill them, we rehabilitate them, educate them, employ them, to give them a new lease in life,” he added.

Nograles said the city needs change. Duterte has ruled as city mayor for over 20 years.

“It is really time for change,” Nograles said. “This is an option for those who disagree to fused legislative and executive powers where you see a father and daughter dominating government, where you throw to the garbage can the time-honored principle of check-and-balance, where government becomes a family enterprise.”

“This candidacy is about restoring the ideals of democratic governance where one can disagree without the danger of being harassed or killed, where each one has his chance to grow as leader, where warlords and would-be warlords have no chance to turn into monsters,” he added.

If the Nograleses win over the Dutertes, the House leader vowed to use the P500-million annual peace and order fund to build rehabilitation and mental health centers, and to finance skills training, scholarships and livelihood assistance for Davaoeños.

He also vowed to improve the city’s health care system by putting up more hospitals in remote areas, and offer more scholarships to poor but deserving students.

He also promised to stop the unreasonable and confiscatory increases in real estate taxes imposed by city hall.   – With Delon Porcalla