LAOAG CITY—Cecile Araneta-Marcos, the widow of the late Provincial Board Member Mariano "Nonong" Marcos II, who died of cardiac arrest last month, is running for vice governor of Ilocos Norte.
As the official campaign for the local elections started, Araneta-Marcos was accompanied by her sons and the Marcos family at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) office on Friday afternoon to personally file her certificate of candidacy (COC).
Comelec Resolution 10420 allows substitute candidates for those who withdraw their candidacies — and not just for those who die or get disqualified – until midday of election day. The substitute, however, should share the surname of the original candidate. No substitution is allowed for independent candidates.
"The substitute for a candidate who died, withdrew his candidacy, or was disqualified by final judgment may file a COC up to midday of Election Day; provided that, the substitute and the substituted have the same surnames," said Comelec Resolution 10420.
Araneta-Marcos, who was nominated by the Nacionalista Party, will run in tandem with her nephew, senior board member Matthew Joseph Manotoc, who is running for governor.
Earlier, Ferdinand Alexander "Sandro" Marcos, the son of former senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. with wife Louise Araneta, has been eyed to substitute for his uncle. (PNA)