ILOILO CITY – Gov. Rhodora “Dodod” Cadiao filed her Certificate of Candidacy for representative of the lone district of Antique on Monday, October 7, under Partido Tumandok.
GOV. Rhodora ‘Dodod’ Cadiao (center) files her COC for representative of the lone district of Antique under Partido Tumandok. With her are gubernatorial candidate Jonathan Tan and vice gubernatorial candidate Genevive Lim-Reyes who also filed COCs that day. (Partido Tumandok)
Cadiao, who is on her third and final term, is going up against Rep. AA Legarda, the younger brother of Sen. Legarda.
Running in Cadiao’s team as governor is former Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Jonathan Tan whose running mate is former mayor Genevive Lim-Reyes of Caluya town.
In their slate for provincial board member are Sueki Palacios, Nonong Alojipan, Errol Santillan, Gaseva Recopuerto, and Nicolasito Calawag for the north district and JC Cadiao Perlas, Ade Fajardo, Mark Vincent Baculna, Stephen Jules Siblag, and Julie Cepe in the second district.
The Legardas did not grow up in Antique but have maternal roots in Pandan town.
Cadiao and Sen. Legarda have been at odds.
She and Sen. Legarda ended the more than 30-year rule of the Javier political clan in Antique province with landslide victories in the 2019 elections.
Cadiao beat Rep. Paolo Javier for governor while Sen. Legarda defeated Gov. Exequiel “Boy Ex” Javier, who served as governor and congressman from 1987 to 2016, for representative.
The relationship between the two lady officials soured as Cadiao planned to run for Congress as she is on her third and final term. But the Legardas won’t budge.
Rep. Legarda was elected to his first term in 2022.
Tumandok is the local word for native.