The Bacolod City Commission on Elections (Comelec) recently declared four candidates of Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia’s Grupo Progreso (GP) coalition as “independents” due to a “discrepancy” involving the PDP-Laban.

Incumbent Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran, who is running for reelection, along with Sangguniang Panlungsod candidates incumbent City Councilors Bartolome Orola and Ana Marie Palermo, and former City Councilor Archie Baribar, encountered delays with the filing of their certificates of candidacy (COC).

The four filed on October 15, while the other GP candidates filed on October 11.

According to Comelec-Bacolod elections supervisor, Atty. Mavil Majarucon-Sia, the declaration was made by the Comelec-Central Office legal department after it was determined Government Service Insurance System head, Atty. Jesus Clint Aranas, was not authorized to sign the certificates of nomination and acceptance for PDP-Laban candidates in Bacolod City.

She noted, the declaration does not impact their affiliation with GP.

However, Majarucon-Sia pointed out, in the event of a substitution, they would not be qualified because they are “independent.”/DGB, WDJ