Dumaguete pols announce slate for elections in 2016

CEBU, Philippines – With less than 15 months to go before the local and national elections in 2016, politicians in Dumaguete City have started to formalize their line-up, after consultations, endorsements and caucuses, to ascertain they were getting the winnable candidates.

The first to make an announcement of an almost complete slate was the group of incumbent Mayor Manuel Sagarbarria, who categorically said he was entrusting the mayoralty post to incumbent Vice Mayor Woodrow Maquiling.

Sagarbarria said he will be running for a congressional seat in the 2nd district against anybody, even against his National People's Coalition partymate, now Provincial Board Member Erwin Michael Macias.

Maquiling has confirmed to The Freeman that his vice mayoralty tandem will be the incumbent No. 1 Councilor Franklin Esmena Jr. Their bets for councilor will be re-electionists Councilors Jose Victor Imbo, Manuel Nelson Patrimonio, Dan Leon and Peter Catan.

Five new members will be added to the team, namely, ABC president Lionel Banogon; lawyer Melissa Erames Tuballa; Tentio Perdices, son of the late mayor and governor Tuting Perdices; retired Negros Oriental II Electric Cooperative employee Leovigildo Elmaco; and Calindagan Village chief Chako Sagarbarria.

The 10th slot for the councilor's slate will be reserved for someone from several probables the party has yet to determine, said Maquiling.

He said that incumbent Councilor Lilani Ramon was not anymore included in the team for having been dropped as member of the administration party. She will be replaced, he said.

There is no word yet on the slate of incumbent Councilor Antonio Remollo, and other hopefuls, even as former councilors were also expected to return, including former city councilor and vice mayor, lawyer Alan Cordova.