TRECE MARTIRES CITY, Cavite – Gemma Lubigan, widow of slain Vice Mayor Alex Lubigan, joined the political fray as mayoralty bet with vice mayoralty running mate Romeo ‘Bobby’ Montehermoso.
The duo filed their respective Certificates of Candidacy (COC) Tuesday at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) office here.
Gemma and Montehermoso attended the Holy Mass at the St. Jude Thaddeus Church near the city hall before filing their COCs.
Cavite Governor Jesus Crispin Remulla and Vice Governor Jolo Revilla III with Indang councilor Ping Remulla also heard Mass with Lubigan’s widow as show of support.
Lubigan’s wife is challenging former Trece Martires City Mayor Jun Sagun, who is staging a comeback for the mayoralty seat.
According to Gemma, she is running to pursue the unfinished business of her husband, who was incumbent city vice mayor when he declared to run for city mayor for the May 2019 mid-term polls July 6 this year.
On July 7, Lubigan, along with his driver-bodyguard and a security aide, were waylaid by the assailants while on board his Toyota Hilux, just in front of a hospital on Indang-Trece Martires Road in Barangay Luciano here.
Meanwhile, the top local executives of three Cavite coastal towns, who are seeking re-election, also filed their respective COCs.
Incumbent Noveleta Mayor Dino Reyes Chua filed his COC before the local Comelec office here. He was accompanied by his running mate for vice mayor, Boy Alvarez, a former mayor and provincial administrator.
“Makakaasa ho kayo kapwa ko Noveleteños na gagawin namin ang serbisyong first class para sa ating bayan, andito lang po kami para kayo ay paglingkuran (Rest assured fellow Noveleteños that we will provide first-class service for the town and we are here to serve you),” Chua told a crowd of supporters.
In nearby shoreline town of Tanza, Mayor Yuri Pacumio along with running mate for vice mayor Raymundo del Rosario and the full slate of re-electionist councilors – Derek Matro, Alexis Dones, Victor Murillo, Sandy Go, Icel Del Rosario Morales, Sherilyn Langit, Sonny Torres and Andre Torres – filed their COCs at the local Comelec office.
Earlier on Monday, in Rosario town, the father and son tandem of Vice Mayor Jose ‘Nonong’ Ricafrente and Mayor Voltaire Ricafrente also filed their COCs but swapping posts. (Dennis Abrina/PNA)
