Gov. Damian Mercado (L) and Rep. Christopherson Yap officially file their Certificate of Candidacy on October 1, 2024 at COMELEC Southern Leyte Provincial Office. | PHOTO: Official Facebook page of Damian G. Mercado
TACLOBAN CITY — Reelectionist congressmen and governors from various provinces in Eastern Visayas have officially launched their bids by filing their certificates of candidacy (CoCs) at their respective local offices of the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
In Southern Leyte, Gov. Damian Mercado and Rep. Christopherson Yap submitted their CoCs on Tuesday, Oct. 1, seeking reelection for their current posts.
Before the filing, rumors circulated that Mercado, who is in his third and final term as governor, might contest Yap’s seat in the second congressional district.
But the potential clash was avoided by the interventionby Speaker Martin Romualdez of Leyte’s first district, who persuaded both Mercado and Yap to seek reelection instead. Mercado and Yap are members of Lakas-CMD, chaired by Romualdez.
“We have decided not to compete against each other for the sake of our province,” said Governor Mercado.
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Yap echoed Mercado’s sentiments and expressed support for the governor’s development projects in Southern Leyte.
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In Leyte, Rep. Richard Gomez formally filed his CoC on Wednesday, Oct. 2, marking his bid for a second term in the province’s fourth district.
Running under the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas, Gomez submitted his candidacy at 1:37 p.m. at the Leyte Comelec office.
He was accompanied by his wife, Ormoc City Mayor Lucy Torres Gomez, who had filed her own CoC earlier that morning for a possible second term.
Representative Gomez emphasized his track record from his first term in office.
“We have a track record that benefitted the people of the fourth district,” he said, adding that his constituents appeared satisfied with his performance.
In Eastern Samar, Gov. Ben Evardone filed his CoC on Wednesday, Oct. 2, around 9 a.m., seeking a third and final term.
He was accompanied by his running mate, reelectionist Vice Gov. Maricar Goteesan, and their slate of provincial board candidates.
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Evardone is running under the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas banner.
