Hagedorn, Montaño kick off campaign

Puerto Princesa City Mayor Edward Hagedorn officially kicked off his Senate campaign by going around Manila in a motorcade from his campaign headquarters along Osmeña Highway in Manila to Sto. Niño de Tondo Church.

A known Sto. Niño devotee, the 66-year-old Hagedorn is on his last term after serving as mayor of the Palawan city for 20 years and is running as an independent in his first bid for national office.

Although a last-minute decision, the campaign is well-organized, he said, going full blast in the social media as well. Hagedorn is running on a proenvironment platform.

Another independent candidate, former Philippine Constabulary-Integrated National Police (now Philippine National Police) chief Ramon Montaño on Tuesday kicked off his campaign for the Senate without fanfare.

Describing his drive as “low-key,” Montaño said he would go around the country to meet with local officials, senior citizens and military and police retirees.

“They are my constituents, anyway. I will be their voice in the Senate,” said the 75-year-old retired major general who likened his campaign to his “last battlefield.”

Montaño said his short-lived attempt for a seat in the Senate in 2004 did not count since he quit from eccentric presidential candidate Eddie Gil’s group even before the campaign took off.