Thirty Iloilo City Village Chief Candidates Poised for Victory in Upcoming Oct. 30 Polls

Iloilo City — Thirty candidates for village chief in Iloilo City are nearly certain to secure their positions in the October 30 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections, as indicated by data from the Iloilo Commission on Elections (Comelec).

According to a news release by Philippines News Agency, 27 out of these 30 candidates are unopposed following the closing of the filing for certificates of candidacy (COC). The remaining three candidates had initially faced opposition, but those contenders have since withdrawn. Sayno emphasized that while a single vote could technically secure their win, supporters are encouraged to participate in voting to establish a clear mandate.

Out of the candidates without opposition, 20 are incumbent barangay captains, noted Sayno. Reiner Layson, Comelec Provincial Election Supervisor, added that an order of cancellation for one COC is being processed in a barangay due to a petition declaring the candidate as a nuisance. The result would be disqualification from the position of punong barangay.

In preparation for the elections, a send-off ceremony was conducted on Friday for over 600 uniformed personnel, including 282 from the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO), 80 from the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), 100 from the 61st Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army, and 160 from the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP). These forces are tasked with securing 63 polling centers in the city. ICPO Director Col. Joeresty Coronica stated in a press conference that additional personnel have been dispatched to Aklan, Antique, and other Iloilo provinces at the request of the Police Regional Office 6 (Western Visayas).

On Thursday, a mock election was conducted by the Comelec to simulate Monday’s electoral process in Iloilo City and province. Layson declared, “We are four days away from the elections, Commission on Elections province of Iloilo and city of Iloilo declare that we are all systems go. We are only praying for fair weather on Monday so our electoral board members and voters won’t have difficulty going to voting centers and in the deployment of our election forms, supplies, and paraphernalia, especially in island barangays.”