AKLAN – Four election aspirants personally appeared at the Commission in Elections (Comelec) in Aklan to withdraw their certificates of candidacy (COC) for Sangguniang Panlalawigan and Sangguniang Bayan.
John Rogar Resulta Garcia and Jake Balaba Villanueva of the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) backed out from the race for Sangguniang Bayan of Ibajay town.
The race for Ibajay councilor will now be just for eight candidates of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), five from the Progressive Movement for the Devolution of Initiatives (Promdi) and one independent candidate.
In Lezo, Aklan, Kilusang Bagong Lipunan (KBL) aspirant Marilou Mabilog Arcenio also dropped her bid for councilor to give way to Norberto Ponce.
Ten candidates from the Nacionalista Party, KBL, PDP-Laban and two independent candidates now square off for Sangguniang Bayan seats in Lezo, Aklan.
Jonathan Ortega Vergara, who filed his COC under UNA for Sangguniang Panlalawigan in Aklan-2nd District, also withdrew his candidacy.
Comelec-Aklan spokesperson Chrispin Raymund Gerardo said the poll body allowed the substitution of candidates until Nov. 15.
Under the poll body rules, substitution is accepted if a candidate dies, withdraws or is disqualified by Comelec./PN
