Davao del Sur gov files COC for Davao Occidental gubernatorial bid

Davao del Sur Governor Claude Bautista. FACEBOOK PHOTO

MALITA, Davao Occidental—Davao del Sur Gov. Claude Bautista filed his certificate of candidacy in a bid to become the first governor of the newly-created province of Davao Occidental on Thursday.

READ: Bautista scions vie for Congress, local posts in Davao Occ., Sur

Also filing for the new province’s vice gubernatorial race was his elder brother, incumbent Davao del Sur 2nd district Representative Franklin Bautista.

As of Thursday, the siblings had no rivals yet.

Last month, Bautista pitched for former Davao del Sur vice governor Arsenio Latasa to run in the Davao del Sur gubernatorial race as he announced he was not seeking reelection.

“I will run in Davao Occidental because I am from there,” Bautista said.

Davao Occidental is made of the former Davao del Sur towns of Sta. Maria, Jose Abad Santos, Malita and Sarangani.

It was created through a congressional act, which the elder Bautista had sponsored in 2013. RAM