Magalong in for second term

Baguio City (October 2, 2021) – Baguio City mayor Benjamin Magalong is in for his second term, thus flatly denying he is running for a national position in 2022.
“Still for mayor”, the mayor told Philippine Star late Friday night dousing wild speculations he is gunning for a seat in the Senate alongside Senator Panfilio Lacson and Senate President Vicente Sotto tandem.
Magalong, who has become a member of the Nationalist Peoples Coalition, has not officially filed his candidacy yet.
Making no hints when he will file,  all indications point that he will still be an independent bet like in his mayoral run in 2019 that catapulted him to the top post in the city with an overwhelming win over his 4 opponents including veteran politicians Mauricio Domogan,  Jose Molintas and other less serious bets.
Magalong though said he will be having 4 candidates for the 12-seat Baguio City council and will support incumbent Baguio rep. Marques Go for his third bid in Congress and incumbent vice mayor Faustino Olowan seeking his second term.
Although no one except Councilor Michael Lawana (for Vice Mayor) has so far officially filed their candidacies, Magalong’s closest rival might just be former Baguio Congressman Nicasio Aliping Jr. in tandem with former Mayor Domogan (challenging Rep. Go in Congress).    The line-up,  a somewhat queer mix of Liberal Party stalwarts headed by former councilor and veteran human rights lawyer and UN Expert on Indigenous Peoples Jose Molintas (for councilor) and UNA-Lakas NUCD bigwigs under the local Timpuyog ti Baguio headed by Domogan, is a definite shock among the electorate.
For many elections,  Atty. Molintas challenged Atty. Domogan in various posts from Congressman to Mayor.
The now “fused” Domogan and Molintas factions will file their bids next week.
Artemio A. Dumlao

Amianan Balita Ngayon