March 29, 2024

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – A gubernatorial aspirant in Benguet has withdrawn his candidacy for the May 2022 elections.
Benguet Provincial Election Supervisor Elenita Julia Capuyan said former vice governor Nelson Dangwa has filed his withdrawal of COC last Jan. 15. She said Dangwa did not relay a reason for withdrawal.
Dangwa, son of the late Benguet congressman Samuel, filed his COC under the Partido para sa Demokratikong Reporma party. His running mate was former governor Crescencio Pacalso, who also withdrew his COC for the congressional race in the lone district of Benguet in November 2021.
Tabangin said Comelec-Benguet immediately notified the Comelec central office of Dangwa’s withdrawal so that his name will not be included in the list of candidates in the official ballots.
The Comelec said there is no deadline for voluntary withdrawal of COC. It only set the Nov. 15, 2021 deadline for candidates to withdraw their COCs for them to be substituted by party mates.
Dangwa’s withdrawal reduced the aspirants for the gubernatorial post to five, namely incumbent Gov. Melchor Diclas who is running under the PDP Laban; incumbent Board Member Robert Namoro of the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas, Alexander Tadina of the Katipunan Party, lawyer Jerry Marave of Kilusang Bagong Lipunan, and independent candidate Jerome Wakat. – Redjie M. Cawis