SHOW OF SUPPORT. Barug-PDP Laban (Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan) supporters flock to the Commission on Elections (Comelec)-Cebu City Office to rally behind the opposition bloc during the last day of filing of candidacies on Wednesday (October 17, 2018). (Photo by Luel Galarpe)
CEBU CITY -- Candidates of the Barug-PDP Laban (Partido Demokratiko Pilipino - Lakas ng Bayan) filed their Certificates of Candidacy (COC) for the 2019 mid-term polls at the Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) office here Wednesday.
Barug-PDP Laban standard bearer Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella and his running mate, former mayor Michael Rama, led the opposition party’s filing of their COCs before city election officer Marchel Sarno.
Movie-television actor Richard “Sir Chief” Yap and City Councilor Jocelyn Pesquira also filed their candidacies for representatives in the North and South Districts, respectively, together with the Barug bets for the City Council.
Former professional cager Donaldo “Dondon” Hontiveros completes the Barug-PDP Laban slate, but was not with the group who trooped to the Comelec office.
The “Cebuano Hotshot” filed his COC for councilor a day ahead of his party mates as he had to attend to some important personal matters in Manila until Friday.
Included in the Barug lineup for city councilor, along with Hontiveros in the South District, are former congressman Antonio Cuenco, former councilor Gerardo Carillo, Philip Zafra, Francis Esparis, and re-electionists Miguel Erik Espina, Renato Osmeña Jr., and Eduardo Rama.
For the North District, the party is fielding former City Councilor Noel Wenceslao, former Calape (Bohol) Mayor Ernest Herrera, controversial Mabolo barangay captain Priscilla Niña Mabatid, Ramil Ayuman, Rey Lauron, and incumbent Councilors Joel Garganera, Pastor Alcover Jr., and Raymond Alvin Garcia.
Labella and Rama will be running against the Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK) tandem of Mayor Tomas Osmeña and City Councilor Mary Ann delos Santos, while Yap and Pesquira will be respectively challenging re-electionist Reps. Raul del Mar and Rodrigo Abellanosa.
In an interview with reporters, Rama said he expects his political opponents to bring up his alleged involvement in drugs during the campaign, but mudslinging doesn’t worry him anymore.
Rama, who was tagged by President Rodrigo Duterte as a drug protector, said he believes more Cebuanos are convinced that the accusation against him is not true -- after all, the drug tests he had undergone came out with negative results.
“My heart is pure. My mind is clear. Mike Rama has never been into illegal substance and never been a drug protector,” he said. (PNA)
