GENERAL SANTOS CITY – Sarangani province’s top incumbent officials filed their certificates of candidacy (COC) on Tuesday afternoon under local ruling political party People’s Champ Movement.
Sarangani Governor Steve Chiongbian Solon, accompanied by his wife Michelle, filed his candidacy before the Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) provincial office in Alabel town at past 2 p.m.
Solon’s running mate, Vice Governor Elmer de Peralta and their provincial board slate also filed their COCs together with incumbent Rep. Rogelio Pacquiao of the province’s lone district.
Rogelio is a younger brother of Senator Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao, founder and president of PCM.
“We remain one and united in our quest to give the right service to the people and the push for further development and progress of Sarangani,” Solon said.
PCM has ruled the past three elections in the province, with party members sweeping the top posts in the province’s seven municipalities and the majority of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan or provincial board.
The party is allied with the ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP- Laban) under the faction led by Senator Aquilino Pimentel III.
PCM’s provincial board aspirants are led by incumbents Rosemarie Sayo, Jess Bascuna, George Falgui, Ephraim Galzote and Arman Guilli. The other candidates are Russel Jamora, Joseph Calanao, Corazon Grafilo, Irish Arnado, and Jose Tranquilino Ruiz.
Solon, who is seeking his third term, will be challenged anew by businessman Mohamad Aquia of the PDP-Laban under the faction of former South Cotabato Assemblyman Rogelio Garcia.
Aquia, who lost to Solon in 2016, chaired the Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group-Southern Mindanao under the Aquino administration.
Running for provincial board seats under Aquia are Elson Formoso, Harry Beldad, Leonardo Tambong, George Diansing, Kusin Coble, and Ferdinand Belimac.
In South Cotabato, third-term Tupi town Mayor Reynaldo Tamayo Jr. filed his COC for governor under the PDP-Laban-Garcia faction.
Tamayo was joined by running mate, third-term Koronadal City Councilor Mark Lapidez.
Tamayo, who is president of the province’s League of Municipalities, will face re-electionist Governor Daisy Avance-Fuentes, whose slate is scheduled to file their COCs on Wednesday. (/\PNA)
