4 Tarlac towns on election watchlist

TARLAC CITY, Philippines – Four towns in Tarlac have been identified as election hotspots.

Bamban, Capas, Moncada and San Manuel were included in the election watchlist due to intense political rivalry, Lt. Col. Roderick Balbanero, 3rd Infantry Battalion commander, said yesterday.  

There are three candidates for mayor in Bamban: Jon Feliciano of the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), who is seeking reelection, and former mayor Ding Anunciacion and Ador Pascual, who are both running as independent.   

In Capas, former mayor Reynaldo Catacutan of the Liberal Party and independent candidate Billy Apostol will challenge Mayor Antonio Rodriguez of the NPC.

Apostol and Catacutan did not attend the signing of a peace covenant by local candidates in Tarlac on Jan. 26.

 Lita Aquino, who is running for mayor of Moncada, is unopposed, but the candidates for vice mayor – Jigs Duque of NPC and Councilor Carding Vengco – are close rivals. 

In San Manuel, Councilor Melvin Malazo is running against his cousin Benjamin Tesoro, who is seeking reelection.