113 vying for 29 Davao City posts

DAVAO CITY — Battle lines are now drawn in the local political scene, with 113 candidates vying for 29 elective positions.

Of the 113, four are running for mayor, three for vice mayor, six for the city’s three congressional seats, and 100 for the 24 slots in the city council.

Records of the Commission on Elections office show that incumbent Mayor Rodrigo Duterte is pitted against former mayor Benjamin de Guzman, a certain Magdaleno Marcellones and one Henry Zarate.

Meanwhile, Duterte’s running mate, incumbent Vice Mayor Luis Bonguyan, is being challenged by councilor Isidro Ungab and a certain Cyril Sorongon.

The city’s incumbent congressmen, Prospero Nograles, Vincent Garcia and Ruy Lopez, of the first, second and third district, respectively, are all seeking re-election.

Each has one challenger: a working student named Gerry Adante versus Nograles; Joselito Lumain versus Garcia; and councilor Teresita Maranon versus Lopez.

Duterte and Nograles, erstwhile bitter political rivals, have forged a "unity ticket," together with most of the incumbent officials.

Duterte, who has taken his oath as Partido ng Demokratikong Pilipino-Laban member, leads the local party Hugpong sa Katawhan, while Nograles belongs to the Lakas-Christian-Muslim Democrats (CMD).