Keon eyeing Laoag City mayoral post

MANILA, Philippines - One of the Marcos scions, former Ilocos Norte governor Michael Keon, filed his bid for the mayoral post of Laoag City, the provincial capital, yesterday, beating the deadline for the filing of certificates of candidacy.

Keon’s unexpected move caught everybody by surprise, including the Marcoses, who were anticipating him to have a rematch with his first cousin, incumbent Gov. Imee Marcos.

Keon, former Gintong Alay executive director during the Marcos regime, is the son of the late former governor Elizabeth Marcos-Keon, eldest sister of the late strongman.

A former three-term congresswoman of Ilocos Norte’s second district, Imee, the former president’s eldest daughter, defeated then first-term governor Keon in the 2010 elections. Imee is seeking reelection.

Keon will be pitted against city barangay league president Shyville Fariñas, wife of incumbent City Mayor Michael Fariñas, and their uncle, former three-term mayor Roger Fariñas, brother of first district Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas.

Meanwhile, former First Lady Imelda Marcos is seeking reelection as representative of the province’s second district, squelching earlier rumors that she was planning to run for mayor of Batac City, her husband’s hometown. – Charlie Lagasca, Teddy Molina