DUMAGUETE CITY – An aspirant for the third district congressional seat of Negros Oriental, running under the ticket of incumbent re-electionist Governor Roel Degamo, on Monday withdrew his certificate of candidacy (COC) in the May 9, 2022 elections.
Glib Estrella withdrew his COC around 4:30 p.m. and thereafter, Reynaldo Lopez filed his substitution for the former, said lawyer Eddie Aba, the provincial election supervisor of Negros Oriental.
Estrella and Lopez are both registered under the Nacionalista Party (NP), he said.
Degamo was present during the withdrawal and substitution filing of both individuals at the provincial office of the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
Aba said so far, they are the only two aspirants who have filed their withdrawal and substitution COCs as the November 15 deadline set by the poll body officially closed at 5 p.m.
Lopez will be pitted against four other candidates seeking the House of Representatives seat for the third district -- incumbent Rep. Arnolfo Alipit Teves, Jr. (Nationalist People’s Coalition); Nanchie dela Cruz Degamo (Independent); Jocelyn Campasas Estrella (Independent); and Joan Basilisco Estrella (Abag Promdi), records at the Comelec show. (PNA)