Dongkoy to identify coalition bets today

By NITZ ARANCON
Correspondent .

EX-MAYOR Vicente Emano is expected to announce the candidates of the Padayon Pilipino-Centrist Democratic Party coalition today, Agriculture Undersecretary and likely mayoral candidate Jose Gabriel La Viña said yesterday.

The announcement would be made a day ahead of the last day for the filing of certificates of candidacy and after Emano meet with Rodriguez and other members of the coalition to finalize their 2019 ticket.

Emano is the founding leader of the Padayon Pilipino while Rodriguez is the head of the Centrist Democratic Party.

La Viña said he would challenge the likely reelection bid of Mayor Oscar Moreno, and he asked that Emano’s daughter, Councilor Nadya Elipe, be her running mate.

La Viña is already decided on running for mayor that he already packed up and bid agriculture department employees goodbye. He said he would fly to Cagayan de Oro today to attend the meeting with Emano and Rodriguez.

In another related development, Macasandig barangay councilor Richard Nixon Baban said he would withdraw his certificate of candidacy for mayor today and support the likely bid of La Viña.

Baban was the first to submit candidacy papers in the city on Thursday, the first day of the filing of certificates; he would also be the first to withdraw from the mayoral race even before it could start.

He said he decided to withdraw his candidacy on Sunday night after finding out that he and La Viña share the same environmental advocacy.

“I am hoping my supporters, especially the millennials who are fed up with traditional politics, will understand and respect my decision, and I am calling on them to support Mr. La Viña,” Baban said. “A non-politician with a proven track record in pubic service can better lead the quest for genuine reforms.”