No new blood seen in polls for vacant House seat in Zambales

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO—The February 4 special election for the vacant congressional seat in Zambales’ second district is emerging to be a five-way fight, pitting members of the province’s political clans against each other.

The possible candidates are Rica Diaz, daughter of the late Representative Antonio Diaz; Cheryl Deloso-Montalla, daughter of former Governor Amor Deloso; Jun Omar Ebdane, provincial administrator and son of Governor Hermogenes Ebdane Jr.; Board Member Wilfredo Pangan and Alfred Mendoza, reports reaching the Inquirer said.

Diaz, a member of the Magsaysay political clan of Zambales, beat Deloso-Montalla and Mendoza in the 2010 race. He died on August 3 last year from complications from a lingering illness.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has set the filing of certificates of candidacy for the special elections on January 16 to 18.

The young Ebdane, being an appointed official, shall be considered resigned once he files his certificate of candidacy, said Emmanuel Ignacio, assistant director of the Comelec in Central Luzon.

The second district towns of Botolan, Cabangan, Candelaria, Masinloc, Palauig, San Antonio, San Felipe, San Narciso, Santa Cruz and the capital of Iba have 200,813 registered voters, Ignacio said.

The special election, which Congress approved in November, will be manual and will cost the Comelec at least P21 million, he said.

Ignacio said the Comelec has deputized Commissioner Christian Robert Lim to supervise the special election.

The Comelec has imposed bans on liquor, carrying of firearms and other weapons, suspension of elective officials and release and spending of public funds during the election period, which lasts from December 21 to February 14 this year. Tonette Orejas, Inquirer Central Luzon