Politics heats up in Mountain Province for Congress post

By Angel Baybay

BONTOC, Mountain Province – Politics is heating up in this province even as Jonathan Battateng Harder withdrew his certificate of candidacy for the lone congressional seat Nov. 30 in favor of Abrian Cabatsi Libang.

              The two belong to the People’s Reform Party as evidenced by their certificate of nomination and acceptance.    

Their nomination form was signed by PRP national treasurer Elizabeth del Rio.

Harder and Libang are both from Binaka. Monamon Sur in Bauko, a vote rich barangay of the western town.

Libang, 41 is a relative of former Bauko mayor Oliver Libang who headed the municipality in 1998-2001.

Libang will be the sixth candidate for congressman in Mountain Province.

Those who earlier filed their intent include former Sabangan Mayor Jupiter Dominguez, Tadian mayor Anthony Wooden, and Maximo Dalog, Jr., former police provincial director Allen Ocden.                   

                Ocden traces his roots from Besao and Bontoc towns but claims to have relatives scattered all over the vote-rich SABATA towns (Sabangan, Bauko, Tadian) towns.

Another congressional contender Avelino Amangyen is presently the mayor of Paracelis, the second most populated town in the province.

The substitution of Harder by Libang though seems to be a part of a political game plan as Angel Libang who was earlier suspected to be the substitute said in a phone interview that he still has the chance of entering the congressional fight despite the lapse of the Nov. 29, 2018 substitution date. “I still have the chance. Let’s just wait”, Libang who acted as the executive assistant to his father said in an interview.

Libang was referring to the new resolution promulgated by the Commission on Elections last Sept.7, relaxing rules on substituting for candidates in the 2019 elections.

Under Comelec Resolution 10420, substitute candidates for those who withdraw their candidacies are allowed until midday of election day.

The substitute, however, should share the surname of the original candidate.

                No substitution is allowed for independent candidates.

"The substitute for a candidate who died, withdrew his candidacy, or was disqualified by final judgment may file a COC up to midday of Election Day; provided that, the substitute and the substituted have the same surnames," the Comelec resolution stated.

The substitute should also belong to, and be nominated by, the political party or coalition of the original candidate.

Observers said the entry a candidate from the Libang clan would further tighten the race for the lone congressional slot.

It could erode the SABATA block vote which was responsible in putting in place former leaders of the province.

Former congressmen Victor Dominguez and Maximo Dalog anchored their strength on the SABATA votes and so with the late Gov. Leonard Mayaen.

Comelec provincial officer Ricardo Lampac said his office welcomes other substitutes should they qualify under Comelec rules.