No Sweat Davao governors run unopposed

RE-ELECTIONIST governors in three provinces of the Davao region are running unopposed and will be back smoothly for their third and last term in July next year.
They are governors Corazon N. Malanyaon of Davao Oriental, Rodolfo del Rosario of Davao del Norte and Gov. Athur T. Uy of Compostela Valley. All three are on their second term.
It is only in Davao del Sur where the governoship will be hotly contested. The protagonists are outgoing Rep. Marc Cagas, son of Gov. Douglas Cagas, and former congresman Claude Bautista, brother of incumbent 2nd district Rep. Franklin Bautista.
Gov. Cagas, who is only in his second term, gave way to son Marc and instead is running for mayor of Digos, capital city of Davao del Sur, against incumbent Mayor Joseph Penas.
Congressman Bautista is being opposed by lawyer Randolph Parcasio, former head of the Southern Philippine Development Authority (SPDA) who lost an earlier bid for the same position.
Incumbent congressmen of the region are also either unopposed or are faced with token opponents who are mostly also-rans or were consistent losers in several past elections.
Unchallenged are representatives Anthony G. del Rosario and Anton F. Lagdameo of the first and second districts of Davao del Norte, Maria Carmen Zamora and Rommel Amatong of the first and second districts of ComVal, Nelson Dayanghirang and Thelma Almario of the first and second districts of Davao Oriental, Mylene Garcia of Davao City’s second district and Isidro T. Ungab of the third district.
Meanwhile, first district Rep. Karlo Nograles of Davao City, a first termer, will be challenged by former Davao City vice mayor Luis Bonguyan, who is endorsed by Vice Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte and his formidable Hugpong sa Tawong Lungsod, the only local political party which has fielded a complete slate of candidates in Davao City.
The other interesting electoral clash in Davao del Sur is between board member Mercedes Cagas, wife of Governor Cagas, and Vice Governor Simplicio Latasa for representative of the province’s first district currently held by Rep. Marc Cagas.
Educator Joji Ilagan Bian has also filed for representative of Davao City’s second district, but she is not given much of a chance to win after losing twice in the past, first to former Rep. Vincent Garcia, and then to Rep. Mylene Garcia in the 2010 election.
Bian is identified with the ill-fated Team Nograles headed by former House Speaker Prospero Nograles which was decisively trounced by the Hugpong Team headed by Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, who has opted this time not to run for any position in the 2013 election, thus paving way to the comeback of her father, Vice Mayor Rody Duterte.
Former House Speaker Nograles, who is reportedly ill, has fielded only his son, Rep. Karlo, for reelection. The other 2010 losers who have shied away from politics this time are former mayor Benjamin de Guzman and former third district congressman Ruy Elias Lopez, whose bid to return to Congress was frustrated by now incumbent Rep Sid Ungab.
In neighboring North Cotabato, it is a return bout between Gov. Emmylou “Lala” Talino-Mendoza and former governor Manny Pinol. Mendoza’s vice governor, Ricardo L. Ipong is, however, running unopposed, with Pinol reportedly running without a ticket.
It is also a return bout between 2nd district Rep. Nancy Catamco and former representative Jun Pinol, Manny’s brother.
In the first district, Rep. Jesus “Susing” Sacdalan is being challenged by former congressman Antonio Dequina while in the newly established 3rd congressional district, it is a square off between Socrates Pinol and a “graduating” provincial boardmember. GREGORIO DELIGERO