Hagedorn job hunting in Metro; Villafuertes free-for-all in CamSur

Puerto Princesa Mayor Edward Hagedorn FAT REYES/INQUIRER.net

LEGAZPI CITY—Of the candidates filing their candidacy papers Wednesday, the names Hagedorn in Palawan and Villafuerte in Camarines Sur stood out.

Puerto Princesa City Mayor Edward Hagedorn was with his wife, Ellen, when she filed her certificate of candidacy (COC) to run for mayor of the city.

He left for Manila almost immediately and turned up at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) office in Intramuros to file his candidacy papers as an independent candidate for senator.

“I will look for a job in Manila,” he told reporters in Puerto Princesa when asked what his political plans were.

At the Comelec office, Hagedorn told reporters  that he was initially invited by deposed President Joseph Estrada to join the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) senatorial slate but had to decline.

No feelings hurt

“So that there will be no feelings hurt and because I am friends with everyone, I chose to run as an independent,” he said.

“I have no more place in Puerto Princesa. I have wanted to rest but I don’t want to get bored,” he said.

Retired Gen. Ramon Montaño, a former Constabulary chief and “aging participant” of the first Edsa revolution, is also gunning for the Senate, “to represent soldiers and policemen who have been exploited by political leaders.”

Claiming to be a member of the Liberal Party, he said he was running as an independent because he did not have enough “political pedigree” to be taken up by the ruling party.

In Camarines Sur, the fight for political dominance of the province officially kicked off with a Villafuerte grandfather and grandson squaring off for the governorship.

Grandpa vs grandson

Rep. Luis Villafuerte filed his COC for governor. His grandson, Miguel or Migz, filed his COC for the same post.

Migz arrived at the Comelec provincial office to file his COC with his father, Gov. LRay Villafuerte, a last-termer governor, who is running for representative of the second district.

Actor Aga Muhlach followed in a separate vehicle. The actor, who is running for representative in the fourth district, has yet to file his COC, however.

Migz, who is running for governor under the Nacionalista Party, said the Villafuertes have served the people in their own time in different periods and that it is now his time as 67 percent of the population consist of the youth.

“I am determined to run for governor. I am the fourth-generation Villafuerte and our great-grandfather is Mariano Villafuerte Sr. who was also a governor. It is now the time of Migz or LRay Jr. to serve the people,” Migz told a crowd of supporters.

He said he will visit all of the province’s 1,036 barangays and 35 municipalities until January 2013 and revisit the 400 barangays that he had already visited.

Luis Villafuerte said his grandson, Migz, was only being used by his father, LRay, Luis’ estranged son and rival. Luis said he would make a comeback as governor to “restore the elegance of the Office of the Governor.”

He is running under the Nationalist People’s Coalition. His wife, Nelly Favis Villafuerte, also filed her COC, running to fill the third-district seat that Luis is vacating.

William Felix “Wimpy” Fuentebella also filed his COC for representative of the fourth district. He was accompanied by his brother, Mayor Arnie, and father, Deputy House Speaker Arnulfo, who is serving his last term. Wimpy will be running against the actor, Muhlach.

Sabas Mabulo, a three-term mayor of San Fernando, Camarines Sur, filed his COC for representative of the second district under the ruling Liberal Party. Accompanying him was Leni Robredo, the widow of the late Jesse Robredo, who is provincial chair of the the LP in Camarines Sur. Mabulo will be running against LRay Villafuerte.

In Albay, Gov. Joey Salceda, filed his COC under the LP for a third and last term. Wearing the yellow symbol of President Aquino’s party, Salceda filed his COC along with his vice governor and ten Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) members lineup. Reports from Redempto Anda, Juan Escandor Jr., Mar Arguelles, Romulo Ponte and Marrah Erika Lesaba, Inquirer Southern Luzon, and Jocelyn R. Uy, Metro Manila