ILOILO CITY — Iloilo candidates for the 2019 elections under the ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino – Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) could already start securing their Certificate of Nomination and Acceptance (CONA).
In an interview Monday afternoon, 3rd District Rep. Arthur Defensor Jr. confirmed that he has been authorized by the party to issue the CONA of all PDP-Laban candidates in the province, from vice-governor down to the councilors.
Defensor said he has been informed by Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, who is also the president of the party, through an e-mail he received on October 7.
“Senator Pimentel told me that ’You have the freedom to issue CONA to the official candidates that you want,’” he said.
Defensor added that he was authorized by PDP-Laban to issue the CONA because he is the party’s candidate for governor of Iloilo province.
“Senator Pimentel said that we will use the election organization and the election hierarchy in the issuance of CONA,” he said.
Defensor said he has not released one yet because some candidates in the towns are still taking their oath to the party, which he also administers.
“That will gain traction when the filing of COC comes,” he said.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) scheduled the filing of certificates of candidacy (COC) on October 11-17.
The commission’s rules and regulation require all official candidates of political parties to attach a CONA to the COC.
Defensor said they are still in the process of finalizing their line-up for the elections.
He said his running-mate as vice-governor of the province is Barotac Viejo Mayor Niel Tupas III. (Cindy Ferrer/PNA)
