Gugma Surigao del Sur provincial board member aspirant Eddie Istal, former president of Northeastern Mindanao State University, speaks while top party bets, including former 1st District Rep. Prospero Pichay, listen during a gathering in San Agustin town on Oct. 9, 2024. CHRIS V. PANGANIBAN
TANDAG CITY, Surigao Del Sur — The wife and relatives of former Surigao del Sur 1st District Rep. Prospero Pichay are vying for positions in this province to challenge the rule of the Pimentel siblings.
Among the candidates being fielded by Pichay’s camp under the political party Gugma (Love) is former Interior Undersecretary Epimaco Densing III who is running for governor against Johnny Pimentel, who is vying for the post after having completed his three terms in the House of Representatives.
Pichay’s wife Carla, a former mayor of Cantilan town, is running for representative of the second district, which will pit her against Governor Alexander Pimentel, who is eying the post left by his brother.
Pichay’s team also includes Marihatag Mayor Justin Marc Pelenio, who is running for representative of the first district and Catholic priest Ricky Lindo who is running for vice governor.
Pelenio will challenge reelectionist 1st District Rep. Romeo Momo while Lindo will fight reelectionist Vice Governor Manuel Alameda.
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Opting out of the local race, Pichay is one of the nominees of the 4Ps party-list.
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His group has revived the once popular Gugma party against the Pimentels’ Hugpong Surigao which had the backing of the Marcos administration’s Bagong Pilipinas coalition.
Gugma candidates filed their certificates of candidacy (COCs) at the last minute after learning that independent candidates with their surnames also filed COCs.
Lawyer Mary Helen Zafra, Gugma’s legal counsel, said the local party would petition the provincial office of the Commission on Elections on October 14 to declare independent bets as nuisance candidates and to have their surnames stricken off the ballot.
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