Circus begins as COC filing starts in Baguio-Benguet

October 11, 2018 Metro BLISTT

BAGUIO CITY – Early birds as they are, Liberal Party bets led by former Baguio Rep. Nicasio Aliping Jr. gunning to regain his congressional post and former city councilor and mayoralty bet Jose Molintas filed their candidacies at the first tick of the hour as local Comelec offices here opened at 8AM.
Only six bets however filed under the ticket — incumbent councilors Mylen Yaranon and Arthur Alad-iw and comebacking councilors Richard Carino and Isabelo Cosalan; lawyer Ronald Perez and rookie Vic Jimenez.
Three hours after the second ticket — Partido Demokratiko ng Pilipinas (PDP) came with their white and blue-clad supporters led by incumbent rep. Marquez Go dreaming for his second term, Vice Mayor Edison Bilog, now dreaming to become city mayor and incumbent councilor Faustino Olowan for vice mayor.
The PDP is fielding a full 12-member council slate led by incumbent councilors Elaine Sembrano, Joel Alangsab; comebacking councilor Philian Weygan, barangay chairman Thomas Dumalti and former barangay kagawad Grace Mayos; local opera singer John Gaerlan, Pastor John Bagalawis, lawyer Zosimo Abratique; events coordinator Pamela Bomogao and disc jockey Rico John Ferrer.
Baguio Comelec Supervisor John Paul Martin said they are waiting for other tickets like the team of incumbent mayor Mauricio Domogan who is already on his third term and is gunning again for the city’s congressional post the local party “Timpuyog Ti Baguio” with incumbent councilor Edgar Avila (for mayor) and councilor Elmer Datuin for vice mayor.  Independent bets like councilor Leandro Yangot and others, the poll body official said, would follow in the coming days for the COC filing.
Councilor Edgar Avila, who is running for a mayoralty seat with incumbent Mayor Mauricio Domogan team dubbed as Timmpuyog Ti Baguio said that they will be filling their COC’s on October 17, the last day of filling of candidacy.
Being awaited to file a still unidentified post is former PNP Deputy Director for Administration Benjamin Magalong, who had been floated to gun for the mayoralty post as an independent.
Adoption advocate and social activist Arthur Dimagilas, 39, dreaming for a seat at the 14-member Baguio City council marked the start of the political circus in the city.
This as more serious local bets started to swarm the local election office Thursday, the start of the filing of certificates of candidacies for the midterm elections on May 13, 2019.
Vowing to push for local legislations that old and returning Baguio City bets failed to “touch”,  Dimagilas, who might just be not taken serious by the Baguio electorate said, though he had been living in Baguio for a year knows what the people want to hear from their officials.
No one from Benguet province has filed their COCs yet, confirmed Benguet election supervisor Elenita Tabangin-Capuyan.  Former Benguet governor Nestor Fongwan, running for the province’s lone congressional is said to be filing his COC on the last day (October 17), while Itogon Mayor Victorio Palangdan is said to be fielding his candidacy against Fongwan anytime until the end of the filing period on October 17. With reports ACE ALEGRE