ILOILO – 1st District’s Cong. Richard Garin is seeking reelection as an independent candidate.
He filed his certificate of candidacy at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) provincial office in La Paz, Iloilo City yesterday sans a Certificate of Nomination and Acceptance (CONA) from his party, the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino – Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban).
Garin is PDP-Laban’s Iloilo provincial chairman. However, he is not supporting the party’s gubernatorial candidate Cong. Arthur Defensor Sr. but Nacionalista Party’s (NP) bet Cong. Ferjenel Biron.
According to Garin, he decided to become an independent candidate in deference to PDP-Laban. He did not say if he would be resigning from the ruling party or transferring to the NP.
“Kon independent candidate, wala ka sang CONA. But Comelec gives independent candidates until Oct. 17 kung may CONA ka nga ma-submit,” he said.
Actually, according to Garin, “The other day they informed me that they are going to give me the CONA of the party but I was informed early this morning nga for delivery pa lang. Siling ko may flight ako in the morning kag I wanted to file in the morning…puede man ipa-apas but let me think kon I have to submit a CONA or not.”
He revealed, though that younger sister Vice Gov. Governor Christine Garin, a reelectionist, already transferred to NP from the National Unity Party.
His sister is the running mate of Biron./PN
