ILOILO City – On Nov. 29, the last day of withdrawal and substitution of candidates for the May 13, 2019 midterm elections, Mayor Jose Espinosa III bared the two final additions to his lineup for city councilor.
The two were Rex Marcus Sarabia and Barangay Captain Roland “Wang-Wang” Montelibao of Barangay Tabucan, Mandurriao district – they substituted four persons who filed their certificates of candidacy for councilor under Espinosa’s lineup but only as stand-ins for the mayor’s final choices.
The four were Joe Marie Barredo, Renan Gonzales, Ceasar Hablero, and Stephen Dinaga. They withdrew their candidacies on Thursday.
Sarabia was a student activist and son of former city councilor Ma. Rita Bascos Sarabia, now a regional trial court judge. A Law graduate, he had just completed his Bar exams.
He had a five-hour discussion with Espinosa prior to deciding to join the mayor’s lineup, said Sarabia.
“As a student activist, indi ako magsulod sa isa ka bagay nga waay ko naintindihan. We, the youth, indi mo madala sa traditional politics, promises. We want to be convinced,” he stressed.
Sarabia said he believed in Espinosa’s platform of government.
“I saw his commitment,” he added.
Meanwhile, Montelibao saw himself as a “balancing factor” in Espinosa’s lineup.
“Nakita ko nga sa Mandurriao wala pa representative,” he said.
Montelibao said he would focus on the youth and sports development.
Espinosa’s group is composed of these candidates:
* for congresswoman – former councilor Perla Zulueta
* for vice mayor – Councilor R Leone Gerochi
* for councilor – reelectionists Eduardo Peñaredondo, Candice Magdalene Tupas, Mandrie Malabor, Lyndon Acap, and Leizl Joy Zulueta-Salazar, former councilor Rodel Fullon-Agado, Sarabia, and Montelibao./PN
