Bondoc quits congressional race in Bataan

SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga, Philippines – Juan Miguel Bondoc, a former teen star also known as Onemig Bondoc, has withdrawn his certificate of candidacy (COC) in the congressional race in the second district of Bataan. 

Lawyer Gilbert Almario, Bataan election supervisor, said Bondoc personally appeared in his office last Tuesday to submit his affidavit of withdrawal.

Almario said he immediately forwarded Bondoc’s affidavit to the law department of the Commission on Elections so Bondoc’s name could be excluded from the official ballot.

Bondoc filed his COC under the Aksyon Demokratiko party last Oct. 5, the last day of filing of COCs. But a disqualification case was filed against him for allegedly lacking residency in Mariveles town.

With Bondoc’s withdrawal, the congressional race in the second district is now between former governor Leonardo Roman of the Nationalist People’s Coalition and third-term Gov. Enrique Garcia of the People’s United Party.