Leading the provincial reelectionists, Second District Rep. and Third District Rep. Arthur Yap filed their respective certificates of candidacy in the first two days of the filing week.
Unlike on the previous election years, the turnout at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) provincial and city offices have been slow.
According to political figures in the province, the current election season is unprecedented where a number of candidates still await their Certificates of Nomination and Acceptance (CONAs).
LP leader in second district, former congressman Roberto Cajes, said that in the past, candidates already had their CONAs as early as June.
Cajes has been reportedly interested to return to Congress and try a rematch with incumbent congressman, Erico Aristotle Aumentado.
Aumentado was the first to file COC at 1:30 p.m. on Monday. He was accompanied by wife, Van-Van, Board Member Tomas Abapo Jr., mayors, vice mayors and supporters.
Aumentado asserted the LP-NPC coalition on which he expects LP not to field Cajes.
Cajes, however, clarified that he still awaits final party order.
With or without opponent from LP, Aumentado said he will stick with Mar Roxas, citing that the former DILG secretary had helped the late congressman and former governor Erico Aumentado when the latter was DTI secretary.
This is also consistent to the LP-NPC coalition arrangement.
For the third district race, Congressman Arthur Yap filed his COC at 10:30 a.m. yesterday.
He first attended a holy mass at the residence compound of her mother-in-law, Annie Varquez-Gow at J.A. Clarin St., this city before proceeding to the provincial office of the Comelec.
Yap came with a throng of supporters and mayors, vice mayors and other local candidates in his line up.
Yap’s wife, Carolyne, and daughter, Alex, mother-in-law, and relatives also came to support the congressman.
Among the mayoralty aspirants who came are Batuan Vice Mayor Dodo Jumawid, Pilar Vice-Mayor Wilson Pajo (returning), Carmen Vice-Mayor Pedro Budiongan (returning), reelectionist Jagna Mayor Fortunato Abrenilla, Loay Councilor Jescelo Adiong, former Garcia-Hernandez mayor Miguelito Galendez, Duero Mayor Connie Amparo, and Anda Mayor Metodio Amper.
Vice-mayoralty aspirant, Loboc Councilor Erwin Baquial was also there.
During the press conference that followed, Yap showed a Sandiganbayan certification that no case has been filed against him in relation to the PDAF scam, contrary to allegations of critics.
Yap pushes to stop money politics to uphold the dignity of the electorate and ensure genuine service to constituents wherein public officials should be serving the people and not the other way around.