Padayon Bol-anon’s slate is now complete and ready.

Gov. Arthur Yap and Vice Governor Rene Relampagos are set to file their Certificate of Candidacy (CoC) for their re-election bid as Governor and Vice Governor, respectively, alongside their complete slate down to the municipal level. 

The governor bared the coalition’s candidates for Congressional Representatives but declined to name the slate for the board members.

During the virtual press conference on Friday, Oct. 1, 2021, the governor said that he would let the Padayon Bol-anon bets for board members file first their respective CoC before making an announcement.

He added that he is not rushing to file his CoC, but will do so before the deadline on Oct. 8, 2021.

The Yap-Relampagos tandem is the standard bearer of the Pundok Padayon Bol-anon.

This development comes after the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has started accepting CoCs of those individuals who desire to run in the different elective posts in the country.

Pundok Padayon Bol-anon is not a political party. It is an alliance — a rainbow coalition—comprising of different political parties in the local level.

Yap is still on his first term and will seek reelection as governor of Bohol.

As of 4:36 pm, Oct. 1, 2021, a farmer from Tubigon, a certain Concepcion Flores, filed her CoC for governor, according to the Comelec-Bohol.

Flores also ran in the 2019 elections for governor and gained 3,672 votes.

A check made before deadline on Oct. 2, 2021, only 1 aspirant for 3rd district Congressman filed his CoC.

A certain Roger Cadormiga filed his CoC for 3rd district Representative. He is from Duero town.

The Comelec is accepting CoCs until Oct. 8, 2021.

ARIS IS RUNNING

On Sept. 30, 2021, lawyer Jiselle Rae Aumentado Villamor confirmed that the last termer Congressman of the Second District, Erico Aristotle Aumentado will run against Yap for governor. 

However, based on a very reliable source, the group of Cong. Aumentado is yet to finalize its slate as he has yet to name his vice gubernatorial candidate.

As of press time, it seems that, Relampagos has no clear opponent.

In a radio interview, over Open Forum program, on Sept. 30, 2022, hosted by Ardy Araneta-Batoy and Dave Albarado, Relampagos said that he sincerely doubts that he will be unopposed in his reelection bid. 

He said that considering the fact that the next election is a presidential one, it is next to impossible that a high profile race such as the battle for the post of Bohol vice governor will be only contested by a lone candidate.

He expects that anytime, a person would file his/her CoC and challenge him for the position of vice governor in next year’s polls.

NOT SURPRISED ABOUT ARIS’ MOVE

For his part, Yap is not at all worried about the recent development. He even expected the gubernatorial aspirations of Aumentado.

He said: “Long before their declaration, we already knew that he (Aumentado) is running. Bisa’g kinsa siguro nakahibaw na ana ug dili na sekreto. We have always been ready. Our victory is the victory of the Boholanos.”

He added, “For me, every election is about the people. Let us build a stronger economy for Bohol. We have to bring back jobs and livelihood for our people. Let us also support our farmers and fisherfolks to ensure food security. No Boholano must be deprived of his/her basic need for water. Lastly, let us leave no Boholano unimmunized against [the Coronavirus disease] Covid.This is what we have been doing all along.”

Together with Yap and Relampagos, Cong. Edgar Chatto will also join the Padayon Bol-anon group as candidate for Representative of the 1st District of Bohol.

Chatto is on his 1st term as Congressman of the first district, and he is seeking re-election.

As of press time, Chatto, too, has no strong challenger for the position of 1st district congressman.

Likewise, joining the Padayon Bol-anon group is former Senior Board Member Jovanna “Jaja” Jumamoy: She is the group’s candidate as Representative for the 2nd District of Bohol.

She is the daughter of incumbent Mayor Josephine Socorro Jumamoy of Inabanga.

Jumamoy was once a three-termer councilor of Inabanga, and one-term Board Member of the Second District. She is a licensed commercial pilot.  She is the first commercial pilot to land in the Bohol-Panglao International Airport on its initial operation in Nov. 2019.

She is running against Maria Vanessa Cadorna-Aumentado, the wife of last termer Congressman Aumentado. Cadorna-Aumentado is a native of Duero town.

In the third district of Bohol, the last termer mayor of Valencia, Maria Katrina Lim will vie for the congressional post. 

She is a scion of the Lim political clan and the niece of the late Vice Governor Concepcion “Inday Conching” Lim. 

Mayor Lim will run against incumbent Congresswoman Kristine Alexie Tutor. Tutor is seeking re-election as Representative of the 3rd District.

According to a confidential report, the Pundok Padayon Bol-anon group of Yap and  Relampagos is aligned with 30 incumbent mayors out of the 48 local chief executives (LCE) of Bohol. 

This puts the Pundok Padayon Bol-anon group in a position to claim as the dominant political group in Bohol, according to the same report.

HEAD-ON COLLISION? DISBANDMENT?

There are reports circulating that there is a possible political head-on collision between Cong. Aumentado and former Cabinet Secretary Leoncio Evasco Jr.

According to a very reliable source, Cong. Aumentado reportedly met with former Cabinet Sec. Evasco twice when the latter visited Bohol, recently.

Per report, they agreed to consult their respective supporters as both politicians reportedly aspire to run for governor.

 It was reported that part of their agreement is that no one should declare to run for governor without clearance from the other party.

 However, few days after Evasco left the province, the camp of Cong. Aumentado declared his candicacy for governor.

The declaration of Cong. Aumentado’s camp has allegedly irked the supporters of Evasco.

Allegedly, the move of Aumentado’s camp, according to reports, has grossly violated the terms of the agreement between Evasco and Aumentado.

There are now reported movements in the ground to compel the former Cabinet Secretary to run for governor making it a three-cornered fight.

If this is true, Aumentado’s declaration of candidacy is also a declaration of war against the group of Evasco. This can potentially put Aumentado in a collision course against Evasco’s camp.

The Bohol Tribune reached out to the camp of Cong. Aumentado but has yet to receive any reply as of press time. The lack of clarity on this matter from Aumentado’s camp, seems  to excite some Boholanos. Truly interesting indeed!

This newspaper, reached out to Norris Oculam, a close ally of Evasco and a top official of Alyansang Bol-anon Alang sa Kausaban (ABAKA) to verify whether the unverified information is true or not. 

Oculam said he has no information if Evasco was informed about the move regarding Aumentado camp’s declaration to run for governor.

He said that Evasco encouraged Aumentado to run but the 2nd district solon insisted that the former CabSec should run for governor, instead.

Oculam said that he is not sure whether or not Davao City mayor Sara Duterte will let Evasco run for any position. He added that Evasco would run if President Duterte names his replacement in the Cabinet. Evasco is currently the Presidential Adviser on Streamlining of Government Processes.

Oculam in anorher message sent to The Bohol Tribune said that there are a lot of factors to be considered before the CabSec will choose to throw his hat in the political derby.

Oculam said he heard that a group of mayors met and passed a resolution to ask Aumentado to run for governor. The same group also asked Evasco to run for first district Representative. Evasco is not aware about the meeting. He bared that the former Cab Sec is not interested to run for Congress. Evasco is from Maribojoc town, which is part of the first district of Bohol. 

POLITICAL DECISION: A BROKEN LEGACY

The late Governor and Congressman Erico Boyles Aumentado had always been against political dynasty. 

In fact, in his lifetime, when he entered politics, no other immediate family member came into power. 

His opposition to political dynasty is considered as one of his legacies.

Truth of the matter is  when he ran as governor in 2001, he did not let any of his children nor his wife succeed him as congressman of the 2nd district back then. The same was true when he ended his term as governor in 2010.

With the reports confirming that Cong. Aumentado is running as governor, and his wife Vanessa running as congresswoman of the second district, late Gov. Erico Boyles Aumentado‘s legacy of being against to political dynasty will now be considered a broken one.

SINCERITY IS NOT ENOUGH

In a text message received by The Bohol Tribune as a reaction to the candidacy of Cong. Aumentado, Kevin Damalerio, an Executive Assistant of Gov. Yap said, “Sincerity is not enough to make a good governor. Mas gikinahanglan sa Bohol ang leader nga adunay sakto’ng panglantaw alang sa kaayohan ug dugang nga kalambuan sa katawhan ug kaya nga himuo’ng realidad ang maong panglantaw tungod sa iyang katakus, taas nga kinaadman ug dako nga kasinatian sa pagpangalagad.”

He added, “We need a leader who can help our fellow Boholanos land into jobs and get back on their feet because many are affected by the economic downfall due to the pandemic. We need a governor who understands the economy. Kinahanglan ta ug leader nga kugihan ug naay saktong performance. Dili lang puros saad. Buhat gyud ang pasultihon. Truth is. I don’t think Aris has that.”