Farmer seeks congressional seat vs Alvarez in Davao del Norte

Fomer Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez INQUIRER PHOTO / NINO JESUS ORBETA

DAVAO CITY – A farmer and former security guard filed his certificate of candidacy (COC) on Thursday afternoon to challenge former Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez for Davao del Norte’s first congressional seat in next year’s midterm elections.

Ronelo Rafales of Buan village, Asuncion town, showed up at the provincial office of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Tagum City and filed his certificate of candidacy.

The 36-year-old Rafales, who used to work as a mall security guard in the provincial capital, said he was counting on the support of voters from the district’s hinterland and far-flung communities.

He claimed God had prompted him to run and that he was being supported by President Rodrigo Duterte.

If he gets elected, Rafales vowed to help his constituents by building roads and providing livelihood.

He was running as an independent.

Aside from Alvarez, the 36-year old aspirant who filed his COC past 1 p.m. would be up against a scion of the Del Rosario political clan, reportedly Hugpong ng Pagbabago’s bet against Partido ng Demokratikong Pilipino-Laban ng Bayan (PDP-Laban)’s Alvarez.