COC filing day 6, local races: Duterte’s stage set, another Gatchalian, Pimentel seeks congressional seat

CEBU, Philippines – Members of the Hugpong sa Tawong Lungsod (HTL), allies of the Dutertes, filed their certificates of candidacy (COC) for the Davao City council on Sunday, October 6.

As is the tradition of Davao’s most influential family, the Dutertes were not present during the HTL’s appearance before the Comelec in Magsaysay Park.

However, either the patriarch or the heirs of the Duterte dynasty are expected to file their COCs as HTL’s standard bearers before the end of the filing period.

On Saturday, October 5, former president Rodrigo Duterte hinted at a possible comeback for the mayoral post of Davao City while his son Sebastian, the incumbent mayor, would be his running mate for vice mayor.

The Duterte allies that filed their COCs under HTL include Rachel Zozobrado, Enzo Villafuerte, Sweet Advincula, Allan Simo-ag, Petite Principe, Jopet Baluran, Ramon Bargamento II, Carmelo Clarion, Jessica Bonguyan, Myrna Dalodo Ortiz, Rodolfo Mane, Al Ryan Alejandre, Pamela Librado-Morata,, Alberto Ungab, TJ Braga, Tek Ocampo, Bonz Andre Militar, and Ragde Ibuyan.

The slate’s filing will set the stage for the possible return of the ex-president or shuffling of power among the family’s successors.

Recently, the son of congressman Paolo Duterte, Rodrigo “Rigo” Duterte II,  filed his COC for city councilor of the first district of Davao City under HTL.

A different Gatchalian 

Besides successors, other family members of well-known politicians are also beginning to mark their first entry into the political fray.

48-year-old Kenneth Gatchalian, the brother of Senator Win Gatchalian and Social Welfare and Development Secretary Rex Gatchalian, filed his COC on Sunday to represent the first district of Valenzuela City.

The neophyte politician will be running under the Nationalist People’s Coalition.

His brother, Valenzuela Mayor Wes Gatchalian, also under the same party, filed his COC for reelection earlier that day.

If he wins in the 2025 midterm elections, Kenneth would take his brother Rex’s congressional seat who left it after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. appointed the latter as cabinet secretary in 2022.

Kenneth is a director at the Wellex Group of companies, an investment firm which operates in multiple industries including but not limited to real estate, banking, trading, and mining to name a few.

Senate minority leader runs for congress

Senator Koko Pimentel, whose term ends in 2025, is seeking the congressional post of the first district of Marikina City.

He will be going toe-to-toe with Marikina City Mayor Marcelino Teodoro.

Pimentel filed his COC on the sixth day of filing while Teodoro filed his COC on the fifth.

Initially, Pimentel said, he and Teodoro agreed that he would run in the first district, while Teodoro would vie for the second. He was shocked after learning that Teodoro filed for the first district instead.

“We have to respect our word. We should have a word of honor. Because if our policy is always like that, the country will not ascend sense if our leaders and politicians have no word of honor,” Pimentel said.

Teodoro previously served for three terms in the House of Representatives between 2007 and 2016.  

Pimentel was senator in both 2013 and 2016 and from 2016 to 2018, was the Senate president. At present, he is the incumbent minority floor leader of the Senate. –Rappler.com