Ormoc City Mayor Edward Codilla. photo by isumat.com
Ormoc City Mayor Edward Codilla. photo by isumat.com

ORMOC CITY, Leyte, (PNA) – Equity of the incumbent. This seems to be the prevailing policy of the Liberal Party (LP) in choosing its official candidates in Ormoc, never mind if the personalities running for office belong to opposing camps.

This was learned during the last two days of filing for the certificate of candidacy (COC) .

Based on records, incumbent Rep. Lucy Marie Torres-Gomez is the LP’s official candidate for the same position in the fourth district of Leyte.

In Ormoc, the LP chose as standard bearer incumbent Mayor Edward Codilla who was sworn in as a new member of the party last month.

In 2013, Rep. Gomez, her husband Richard and their entire slate ran under the LP banner. On the other hand, Codilla and his slate ran as independents.

Richard ran and lost to Codilla for mayor. It was the actor’s third failed attempt in politics after being disqualified twice to run for Congress.

Last Sept. 28, Codilla was designated as LP chairman of Ormoc with the authority to nominate local candidates, thus making his slate members of the party as well. This prompted Richard Gomez and his slate to seek refuge under the Nationalist People’s Coalition to challenge the mayor.

On the other hand, Violy T. Codilla, wife of the mayor, was also sworn in as LP member with her husband to challenge Rep. Gomez’s position. However, she jumped ship to Aksyon Demokratiko party after failing to get LP’s nomination as candidate for Leyte 4thDistrict representative.

The mayor’s party filed their COC last Oct. 15. They began by attending a 7:00 am mass at Our Lady of the Redeemer Parish Church then convoyed to the Commission on Elections office to file their COCs.

Codilla’s running-mate is incumbent Councilor Pedro Godiardo Ebcas. The rest of the slate are re-electionists Antonio Codilla and John Eulalio Nepomuceno Aparis.

Making a comeback are former councilors Lea Doris Capuyan-Villar, Filomeno Maglasang, Jovencio Laurente and Jose Conejos.

Completing the slate are newcomers Melbur Melgazo who is the village chairman of Linao; and businessmen Conrad Conopio, Rafael Benjamin Omega III and Joel Marson.

Actor Richard Gomez.
Actor Richard Gomez.

After filing their COCs, the Codilla couple drove to Tacloban City to enable Violy to file her COC as congresswoman of northwestern Leyte. That afternoon, Rep. Gomez arrived from Manila to file her COC at the Comelec office in Tacloban City.

The next day, it was the turn of NPC, Richard Gomez’s party to file for their COCs. The group first heard mass at Sts. Peter and Paul Parish Church then trooped to the Comelec office nearby with Rep. Gomez in tow. Richard’s running-mate is re-electionist Vice Mayor Leo Carmelo L. Locsin Jr.

Their councilors are re-electionists Rolando Villasencio, Benjamin Pongos Jr., Mario Rodriguez, Tomas Serafica, Vincent Rama and Gerardo Penserga.

Completing the slate are newcomers Atty. Jasper Lucero, Atty. Nolito Quilang, Gregorio Yrastorza III and Edilberto Laurente. (PNA)
FPV/SQM/FNC