Nueva Ecija politics heats up

CABANATUAN CITY, Philippines – The mega showdown between the Umali and Joson political clans in Nueva Ecija is now officially on.

This, after the Josons, scions of the legendary patriarch, Eduardo Sr., filed yesterday their respective certificates of candidacy for the various elective positions before the Commission on Elections office at the back of the old Capitol here – which they occupied for nearly 50 years – yesterday morning.

Vice Gov. Edward Thomas Joson, seeking to avenge his 2001 congressional defeat at the hands of incumbent Gov. Aurelio Umali yesterday filed his COC along with his running mate Senior Board Member Rommel Padilla.

Joson came with his wife and daughter, along with the other Josons namely his father, former four-time governor Tomas III and mother May, comebacking former three-term congresswoman Josie Manuel-Joson, former vice governors Mariano Cristino and Eduardo IV, businessman Rey Joson and the various candidates of the Bagong Lakas ng Nueva Ecija.

Last Thursday, the Umalis – Aurelio, his wife third district Rep. Czarina and Emmanuel Antonio – filed their respective candidacies with the husband and wife tandem gunning for reelection and Emmanuel Antonio for board member in his sister-in-law’s turf.

Also filing their respective COCs were former three-term board members Jose Bernardo Yango and Aurora Aleta, reelectionist board members Eric Salazar, Juanito Juatco, Racquel Agapito and first-timers Nap Ocampo and Perry Hernandez

Multi-race

Baguio City, though, will be witnessing a multi-race, is in for a “return bout” between two of the staunchest political foes the city ever had.

In to prove that “Baguio City voters are sick and tired” of the “politics of convenience and patronage”, Liberal Party’s mayoralty bet Jose Molintas officially challenged three-term congressman Mauricio Domogan (Lakas-Kampi), who is out to regain his old seat as Baguio’s mayor yesterday morning.

“We want to bring back Baguio to its old glory,” Molintas, who again was Domogan’s greatest headache during the 2007 congressional race here said. 

Domogan, who was literally a shoo-in in any local political race he had entered, almost suffered an upset in 2007 when he figured in the slimmest ever poll result margin in his career. 

Domogan, whose party also filed yesterday afternoon, is beaming with “impeccable record of public service,” vows also “a return of Baguio to its senses” sans unresolved issues on garbage and orderliness taunting the current leadership of Mayor Reinaldo Bautista Jr., who is running as an independent for congressman instead.  

Winners and losers

Moreover, winners and losers in the 2007 elections formed tandems for the two posts in Bulacan for the historic 2010 automated elections.

Former governor Josie Dela Cruz took a former Senior Board Member as her running mate as she is set to stage a comeback next year, while incumbent Vice-Governor Wilhelmino Alvarado took actor and former Senior Board Member Daniel Fernando as his running mate.

The Dela Cruz-Aniag tandem are running under the banner of the Partido Del Pilar, the local party that coalesced with the Liberal Party on Monday; while the Alvarado-Fernando tandem are running under the administration’s Lakas-Kampi-CMD party banner.

Both tandems had not formalized their candidacies yet, as both plan to submit their certificates of candidacy at the provincial office of the Commission on Elections here on Monday or Tuesday.

This early, both tandems believe that they will win in the 2010 automated elections, citing the winning records of Dela Cruz and Alvarado.

Despite no clear opponent, Mayor Elmer Codilla, and his running mate vice Mayor Macario Lumangtad, and their complete slate for councilors have formally submitted their COCs at the local Comelec office here Friday.

Codilla was accompanied by his parents, outgoing 4th District of Leyte Rep. Eufrocino, mother Maria, sisters Elizabeth, and Maria Emily and his wife Rowena and several supporters.

Codilla said told The STAR that their slate for councilors has two new faces after two of his incumbent lineup completed three terms and the other became an opposition. He said that outgoing Councilor Fer­nando Aseo is replaced by his brother Lorenzo, the incumbent chairman of Barangay Tagaytay. Former ally Amelita Mangco, the only female in their former slate, now with the opposition is being replaced by Ann Villar, wife of the acting municipal administrator.

Meanwhile, Quezon political candidates started to file their COCs for the 2010 elections but no tension occurred among political rivals.  

Quezon lawmaker Danilo Suarez filed his COC, together with his Board Members Lourdes de Luna-Pasatiempo and Ding Villena for Lakas-Kampi.

Suarez is on his second term in the House of the Representatives.

His son David (Jayjay) ran previously in the gubernatorial race in 2007 but lost to incumbent Governor Rafael Nantes. – With Dino Balabo, Roberto Dejon, Michelle Zoleta