FORMER Energy Secretary Carlos Jericho Icot Petilla will run for governor of Leyte and Sandy Javier, former mayor of Javier town, will be his running mate.
However, the Petilla-Javier tandem could not be confirmed as yet by Icot Petilla himself, although Javier has confirmed this on Friday, October 1.
The filing of their Certificates of Candidacy (COC) as a slate will be on Friday, October 8, the last filing day.
In a socially distanced gathering with barangay chairpersons in Tanauan, Leyte on Saturday afternoon, Mayor Pel Tecson, an ally of Icot, announced and confirmed Icot’s planned candidacy for governor of Leyte.
Local observers said it’s likely that Icot will run unopposed.
Before he was appointed secretary of the Department of Energy (DoE), Icot Petilla served as governor of Leyte from 2004 to 2013.
Varied CONA
Though PDP Laban (Cusi wing) is Petilla’s current party affiliation, it was not immediately clear as to what party Icot and his complete slate will run under.
Early filers of their COCs known to be allied to the Petilla political powerhouse had carried varied Certificate of Nominations and Acceptance (CONA).
An ally of the Petillas’, Congresswoman Karen Javier of the 2nd District of Leyte, filed her re-election bid on Friday under the Nationalista Party. Another political ally, Congressman Ching Veloso of the 3rd District of Leyte, filed his COC on Friday afternoon, under Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC).
An insider in the Petilla political powerhouse who asked not to be named said that it’s likely that most if not all the allied re-electionist mayors and their slates, and other allied local politicians will get the PDP Laban Cusi wing nominations.
Drifting along with the shifting politics
The Petillas’ reported preference to remain under the beleaguered party could not be confirmed as of press time because of the volatility of the political situation at the national level.
It was earlier rumored that a Bongbong Marcos presidential bid under President Rodrigo Duterte’s blessing will significantly affect the party alignment in the province.
An insider told Opinyon 8 that the Petilla camp had to call for a meeting immediately with local leaders after Mayor Inday Sara filed her COC for Mayor of Davao City on Saturday afternoon.
Fight for CONA
For whatever reason, few days before the filing of COC on Friday started, opposing candidates in a small coastal Leyte town Tolosa pitted against each other for a PDP Laban (Cusi wing) nomination.
Free zones
In Tanauan, Leyte, Penny, the wife of outgoing town mayor – Pel Tecson, will square off for the mayoralty post with Leyte Board Member Gina Merilo. Since the Tecsons and Merilo are both allied with the Petillas, it was learned that the town will be a “free zone”, neither of the two will get Icot’s official party nomination, an insider claimed.
A similar political arrangement has been reportedly made in other towns with warring Petilla allies.
In Babatngon, Leyte, Mayor Marife Galapon- Rondina filed on Sunday, her re-election bid. Incumbent Vice Mayor Leny Lugnasin, a Petilla ally who reportedly said will challenge Rondina, has yet to file her candidacy as of this writing.
Independent Sambo
In Tacloban City, A 61-year-old engineer Quintin Nilo Ayoste filed on Friday his COC for mayor at the Tacloban City COMELEC office. Ayoste was the second aspirant to file on Friday.
Tacloban City Vice Mayor Sambo Yaokasin filed his COC early on Friday, the first one to do so. Earlier rumored to run in tandem with incumbent city councilor Edwin Chua, Yaokasin filed his COC for mayor as an independent.
Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez and son Raymund has been rumored to run in tandem. They are yet to file their certificates of candidacy as a team.