Being locked up in jail is no hindrance for a vice mayor and three incumbent councilors of Moises Padilla in Negros Occidental, to seek reelections.
Vice Mayor Ian Villaflor and incumbent Councilors Jimmiedon Plaza, Vincent Garcia and Morito Flores, who are all facing murder charges and denied bail by the court, yesterday filed their respective Certificates of Candidacy, in Moises Padilla.
Villaflor and Plaza were escorted by operatives of the National Bureau of Investigation, while Flores and Garcia, who were handcuffed while on their way to COMELEC office, were also escorted by the town police.
They were all charged in court for murder, in connection with the killing of town councilor Jolomar Hilario in 2019. All four incumbent Cauayan officials strongly debunked the accusations against them.
On the other hand, three more incumbent local chief executives in Negros Occidental filed yesterday their CoCs.
Himamaylan City Mayor Raymond Tongson with Vice Mayor Justin Gatuslao led their ticket in filing their CoCs. Tongson’s team carried the United Negros Alliance (UNegA) colors.
In Kabankalan City, Mayor Pedro Zayco and Vice Mayor Raul Rivera also filed their CoCs yesterday under the banner of Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC).
The Zayco- Rivera tandem was accompanied by former mayor Isidro Zayco, board member Jeffrey Tubola and Rep. Genaro Alvarez (6th district).
Don Salvador Benedicto Mayor Marxlen dela Cruz and brother Vice Mayor Nehemias dela Cruz, with their unity ticket, filed their CoCs as they bid for another term as mayor and vice mayor, respectively, of the town. – GB
