ISABELA CITY, Basilan (Mindanews/02 October) – The widows of the late Basilan congressman Wahab Akbar were among those who filed their certificates of candidacy (COCs) before the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Monday.
Akbar and five of his staff members were killed and 12 others were injured when a bomb exploded on the night of November 13, 2007 at the south wing of the Batasan Pambansa complex in Quezon City.
Gov. Jum Jainudin Akbar, the late congressman’s first wife, and Isabela City Mayor Cherrylyn Santos-Akbar, the second wife, are seeking reelection.
Both on their second term of office, the two candidates are running under the Liberal Party of President Aquino.
The governor, accompanied by Basilan Rep. Jim Hataman-Salliman, walked from the provincial capitol to the provincial election office where she filed her COC.
Salliman, the elder brother of Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Acting Gov. Mujiv Hataman, is also seeking reelection under the LP banner.
They were accompanied by hundreds of their family members and supporters when they walked from the provincial capitol to the election office and back.
The mayor, accompanied by her family members, council candidates and supporters, held a motorcade around this city before filing her COC.
Nine candidates for the city council are running under the LP.
Acting Isabela City Election Officer Gerrybert Suacito said two independent city council aspirants have also filed their COCs.
Provincial Election Officer Roberto Dela Peña said that two candidates have filed their COCs for vice-governor, two for provincial board and one for the Regional Legislative Assembly of ARMM.
The Comelec has set a five-day period that started on Monday for the filing of COCs. (MindaNews)