Sun.Star Cebu

10 Cebu poll bets back out of race; proxies take over

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Ten candidates, including two mayoral and one vice mayoral, in two cities and one municipali­ty in Cebu filed their certificat­es of withdrawal before local election offices earlier this week.

But aside from their withdrawal, the candidates already had substitute­s in next year’s midterm elections.

In Bogo City, seven candidates, including one mayoral aspirant, filed their withdrawal last Nov. 12.

These are Bogo City mayoral candidate Elibrado Sinangote, vice mayoral candidate Maria Doris Mendoza and councilor candidates Edgardo Bacasmas, Jennifer Requiza, Carlos Condor, Nestor Eltagunde and Wilson Gomez.

But as the seven filed their respective withdrawal­s, another seven candidates immediatel­y filed the papers to be their substitute­s.

Mayoral candidate Arturo Pacifico, vice mayoral candidate Al Escarro and city council aspirants Jose Ascero, Samson Bolambao, Eliezar Lepon, Renato Mandawe and Wilfredo Manubag filed their certificat­es of candidacy before the Bogo City Election Office last Nov. 14.

On the other hand, in Toledo City, a mayoral candidate and a councilor aspirant filed separate statements of withdrawal before the local election office there earlier this month.

Neil Riveral, who was running for Toledo City mayor, withdrew his candidacy through a statement he submitted before the local elections office last Nov. 8.

Serving as his substitute is Jose Noel Cavada.

Aside from Riveral, Toledo City councilor candidate Maria Ida Gabato also filed her statement of withdrawal on Nov. 8.

But Gabato is expected to be substitute­d by Jeah Jean Gacang.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has given candidates until Nov. 29 to file their withdrawal or have someone substitute for them in next year’s elections.

Comelec Resolution 10430 states that substituti­on can only be allowed if both the substitute and the withdrawin­g candidate are from the same political party.

Substituti­on is prohibited for independen­t candidates.

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