Karlo Nograles guns for Davao mayor against former President Duterte, 2 others
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 08 October) – Former Civil Service Commission (CSC) chairperson Karlo Alexei B. Nograles filed his certificate of candidacy (COC) for mayor of Davao City on Tuesday morning, October 8, challenging his former boss, ex-President Rodrigo R. Duterte.
Nograles told reporters that the “people of Davao have the right to choose, the right choice, at this right time in our beloved city’s history.”
Accompanied by his family and supporters, he filed his COC at 9:46 a.m., shortly after his younger sister, Puwersa ng Bayaning Atleta (PBA) partylist Rep. Margarita Ignacia B. Nograles, filed her bid for this city’s first district congressional seat.
His running mate is Councilor Bernard Al-ag (first ditrict).
All three of them will be running against the “Goliaths” of Davao’s major political clan, the Duterte family.
“Today, I go back home to Davao City and offer myself and my 20 plus years of experience in government to serve you my first love. Gibitad ko sa akong kasing kasing pauli. Dili nako mapugngan og dili sab nako gusto pugngan. Matud pa gani nila ang first love dili gyud malimtan, and for me it is Davao City (My heart pulled me back home. I can’t stop it and I don’t want to stop it either. They even say that first love can never be forgotten, and for me it is Davao City),” he said.
The Nograles siblings are the children of former House Speaker Prospero Castillo Nograles, who died in 2019. The Duterte and Nograles patriarchs are fierce political rivals until 2016, after the latter expressed support to the former’s presidential bid.
Karlo Nograles believed that there are many services that could still be implemented in the city to make the people of Davao see “real development” as the “best cities offer the best public services.”
“Karong adlawa akong mga kababayan, kaninyo gitugyan ka nako ang akong kapalaran (Today my fellow citizens, I entrust to you my destiny) but not without first trying to convince you and your minds, and let you know how it is to have a choice, to win your hearts and make you feel how it is to have a chance and to earn your support, so I can lead you to the change that you so deserve,” he said.
Nograles added that Dabawenyos “deserve a chance to have a real meaningful and lasting change.”
“Kitang mga taga davao, deserve nato ang dunay choice. Makapapili kung kinsa atong gusto, dili kanang, no choice na lang ta permi (People from Davao deserve to have a choice. We can choose who we want, not that we always have no choice),” he said.
Aside from the 79-year-old former President Duterte, Karlo, 48, will also face independent candidates Bishop Rodolfo A. Cubos and social media influencer Roweno R. Caballes.
Nograles served as first district representative of Davao from 2010 to 2018, appointed Cabinet Secretary by Duterte from 2018 to 2022, and CSC chairperson from 2022 until his resignation yesterday, October 7.
For the vice mayoral race, it will be contested by Al-ag, incumbent Mayor Sebastian Z. Duterte, and independent candidates Rhodora S. Barcena and Richard A. Alcebar.
Meanwhile, Dabawenyos are anticipating a fierce battle between PBA partylist Rep. Nograles and incumbent Davao City first district Representative Paolo Z. Duterte, who is running for his third and final term. The others vying for the post are independent candidates Rex M. Labis and Janeth J. Jabines
The Duterte patriarch and his sons filed their COCs on Monday under the Hugpong sa Tawong Lungsod, a local political party founded by the former.
Duterte and his family have ruled the city for more than three decades.
Before being elected President in 2016, Duterte served as mayor from 1988 to 1998, representative of the first district from 1998 to 2001, mayor from 2001 to 2010, vice mayor from 2010 to 2013, and mayor from 2013 to 2016.
His daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte, served as vice mayor from 2007 to 2010, mayor from 2010 to 2013, and was elected mayor again for two terms from 2016 to 2022.
Paolo, the eldest child of Duterte, served as barangay chair of Catalunan Grande from 2007 to 2013, vice mayor from 2013 until his resignation on December 25, 2017, and first district representative since 2019.
Paolo’s resignation came months after he and lawyer Manases Carpio, husband of Sara, were implicated in a P6.4-billion shabu shipment from China that was discovered inside five metal cylinders in Valenzuela City.
Paolo’s wife, January, succeeded him as barangay chair of Catalunan Grande and became president of the Liga ng mga Barangay-Davao City chapter, earning her a seat in the city council.
Sebastian, Paolo’s younger brother, served as vice mayor from 2019 to 2022 and mayor since 2022.
Paolo’s eldest son Omar, barangay chair of Buhangin, is gunning for second district representative while second son Rigo filed his COC for first district councilor.
Today, October 8, is the last day of COC filing for the May 12, 2025 elections. (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)
No comments:
Post a Comment