TWENTY aspiring candidates have filed their certificates of candidacy (COC) at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Bacolod City for various electoral seats in the city as of Tuesday, October 5.
Bacolod City Election Officer Kathrina Trinio-Caña said as of 4 p.m. Tuesday, a total of 15 aspiring candidates have filed their COCs.
These included former Third District Representative and mayoralty candidate Alfredo Benitez and vice mayoralty candidate lawyer Caesar Distrito.
Aside from them, the COCs of their partymates, which included incumbent Councilors Simplicia Distrito, Bartolome Orola and Al Victor Espino, former councilors Homer Bais, Celia Flor, Sonia Verdeflor and Claudio Puentevella, former vice mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson, Barangay Sum-ag Sangguniang Kabataan Chairman Jason Villarosa, former Negros Occidental Third District Board Member Patrick Lacson, businessman Vladimir Gonzales and Pao Sy, who is the daughter of the late Councilor Elmer Sy, were also filed.
Trinio-Caña said only the representative of Benitez, lawyer Andrei Norman Saril, filed his COC, including those of his 12 slate members, except for Espino who filed his COC in the afternoon.
"The candidate can authorize somebody to file in his or her behalf to file the COC as long as they have an authorization," she said.
Meanwhile, an independent candidate Walter Hermosura also filed his COC Tuesday for councilor.
On Monday September 4, incumbent Bacolod City Lone District Representative Greg Gasataya filed his COC, as he seeks for his third consecutive and final term.
His technical staff, lawyer Mark Steven Mayo, also filed his COC for councilor, as well as Allan Arroyo, lawyer Eduardo Padios and Joel Aujero for the same post.
Rommy Gustillo, 49, a former employee of Negros Navigation and resident Barangay Mansilingan, also tried to file his COC for congressman Tuesday, but his documents were incomplete and denied.
Meanwhile, the complete slate of incumbent Mayor Evelio Leonardia will be announced Wednesday, October 6. They will then proceed to Comelec office to file their COCs.
The filing of COC will end on October 8.
