DAGUPAN CITY -- A total of 46 candidates filed their Certificates of Candidacy (CoC) for provincial elective posts in Pangasinan on Oct. 11-17 at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) provincial office.
Lawyer Marino Salas, provincial election supervisor, said the five-day period was generally peaceful and orderly, except for minor glitches.
“The minor problems encountered by some of the candidates were submission of wrong CoC form,” he said in an interview Wednesday.
A number of candidates did not have the necessary number of documentary stamps, candidates’ CoC was not notarized, and some CoCs not signed were among other incidents encountered by the Comelec, Salas added.
There are two contenders for the gubernatorial post -- re-electionist Governor Amado Espino III who is running under Partido Demokratiko Pilipino Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-LABAN), and Alaminos City Mayor Arthur Celeste who is running under the Nacionalista Party.
Espino's running mate is former board member Angel Baniqued Sr., while Celeste's vice governor is retired police officer Paterno Orduna.
The candidates for district representatives are Bolinao Mayor Arnold Celeste, DOTr Undersecretary Thomas Orbos, and Ernesto Regaspi (first district); Board Member Raul Sison, Bugallon Mayor Jumel Anthony Espino, and Roberto Merrera Jr. (second district); re-electionist Representative Rose Marie "Baby" Arenas, former Calasiao mayor Celso de Vera, and Jaime Aquino (third district).
In the fourth district of Pangasinan, re-electionist Representative Christopher George Martin de Venecia is facing former Dagupan City vice mayor and administrator Alipio Vittorio Ramon Fernandez, Teodoro Wilhelm Manaois, Dagupan City Councilor Redford Christian Erfe-Mejia, and Larry Gryson de Venecia.
Re-electionist Congressman Amado Espino, Jr. and Binalonan Mayor Ramon Guico III are squaring off in the fifth district while Tayug Mayor Tyrone Agabas and Myrna Custodo filed their CoCs for the sixth district representative post.
Meanwhile, each district has two slots for Board Member or Sangguniang Panlalawigan member.
The candidates are re-electionist Antonio Sison, Donabel Fontelera, Alaminos City Councilor Margielou Orange Humilde-Verzosa, and Bani Councilor Richard Camba in the first district; while Lingayen Councilor Maria Andrea "Ma-an" Meneses, re-electionist Board Member Nestor Reyes, former board member Von Mark Mendoza, former Urbiztondo vice mayor Haidee Soriano, and Arsenio Merrera are battling for the second district.
Darwina Sampang (chief of staff of Vice Gov. Jose Ferdinand Calimlim, Jr.), re-electionist Board Member Angel Baniqued Jr., former congressman Generoso Tulagan Sr., former San Carlos City councilor Vici Vetanilla, and Eduardo Gonzales are the candidates in the third district.
For the fourth district are re-electionist Board Members Liberato Villegas and Jeremy Agerico Rosario, and former Mangaldan Liga ng mga Barangay president Ritchie Abalos; while in the fifth district are re-electionist Board Member Chinky Perez-Tababa, Villasis Councilor Nicoli Jan Louie Sison, former Binalonan councilor Francis Melville Tinio, and former Urdaneta City vice mayor Onofre Gorospe.
Meanwhile, re-electionist Board Members Noel Bince and Salvador Perez, Jr., and lawyer Nelson Palaris are vying for the sixth district seats. (PNA)
