‘Incumbent Manila congressmen may win’

An informal survey conducted by Manila’s barangay leaders showed that the city’s incumbent congressmen running for reelection have a big lead over their rivals.

According to the barangay chairmen interviewed at random by The STAR, their constituents would likely vote today for their incumbent House representatives due to their track records of delivering priority services to their areas.

"They (the incumbent congressmen) have already proven their worth. We don’t want to take chances," a Sampaloc barangay leader said.

A total of 23 candidates are slugging it out for seats in the six congresional districts of Manila, records at the National Capital Region (NCR) office of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) showed.

Five candidates are reelectionists on their second term. Congressmen are voted for a three-year term and allowed by the Constitution to seek three consecutive terms.

Having the most number of candidates is the sixth district, which has six candidates vying for the congressional post vacated by three-termer Rep. Sandy Ocampo.

Her father,former Manila congressman Pablo Ocampo of the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), is now seeking his old post, along with former President Estrada’s crony Mark Jimenez (Independent), Carlos Fernandez (People’s Power Coalition), Bienvenido Abante Jr. (Lakas), Valeriano Reloj (Ind.) and Richard Bautista (Ind.).

Manila’s first district has five candidates with reelectionist Rep. Ernesto Nieva (PPC) heading the list. His opponents are Isidro Martin (Liberal Party), Abraham Liguidliguid (Kilusang Bagong Lipunan), Roberto Sese (Ind.) and Rogelio Lim (KKK), the son of former Manila mayor and Interior Secretary Alfredo Lim who is himself again running for mayor.

For the second district, former Rep. Jaime Lopez (Lakas) is now seeking his old post against incumbent congressman Nestor Ponce (LP) and three-term councilor Abelardo Viceo (KKK). – Nestor Etolle