GenSan mayor’s brother files COC for vice mayor

GENERAL SANTOS CITY -- An elder brother of incumbent City Mayor Ronnel Rivera filed his certificate of candidacy (COC) for vice mayor here on Friday.

Businessman Ryan Chua Rivera, 51, filed his candidacy under the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan (KBL) at about 11:30 a.m. at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) office here.

Ryan said he initially planned to file his COC on Thursday but decided to defer it, reportedly due to pending talks with the mayor’s local political party, the People’s Champ Movement (PCM).

Rivera earlier said he will seek reelection for a third and final term and is scheduled to file his COC along with the PCM slate next week.

“I’m hoping to be included in the PCM slate but that will still be finalized this weekend,” Ryan told reporters after filing his COC.

He said he is hoping that the mayor will support his candidacy and eventually pick him as running mate.

Ronnel, 47, and Ryan are sons of fishing magnate Rodrigo Rivera Sr., founder of homegrown RD Group of Companies.  

Ryan ran for representative of the first congressional district seat of South Cotabato under the KBL in the May 2016 local and national elections, but lost to incumbent Rep. Pedro Acharon Jr. of the Nationalist People’s Coalition.

His candidacy was then backed by the PCM and the party’s founder, Senator Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao.

He first ran for mayor in 2004, also under the KBL, but lost to Acharon, who was then the incumbent mayor.

City Councilor Franklin Gacal Jr., who will seek reelection under the PCM, said it was not yet certain if Ryan would be included in their slate. He said the party has not yet decided as to who will be Mayor Rivera’s running mate.

Incumbent Vice Mayor Shirlyn Banas-Nograles is currently on her third term and will be seeking the first district congressional seat of South Cotabato under the PCM.

Gacal said party members will meet on Saturday with Pacquiao and other leaders to finalize their lineup.

He said the senator earlier picked his sister-in-law Lorelei Pacquiao, who is currently an ex-officio member of the city council representing the Liga ng mga Barangay, to run as vice mayor.

Some party members are also pushing for City Councilor Rosalita Nunez, a former city mayor, to be their vice mayoral candidate, he added.

Aside from Ryan Rivera, who was the first-ever aspirant to file his COC, independent candidate Armando Borja filed his candidacy for mayor on Friday afternoon. (PNA)