Five aspirants have officially launched their bids for the congressional seat of Cavite’s 4th District by submitting their certificates of candidacy (COCs) for the upcoming special election on August 29.
The three-day filing window commenced with former Dasmariñas City Vice Mayor Raul Rex Del Rosario Mangubat and Marvin Opamin Dupal-ag becoming the earliest contenders to submit their paperwork. On Wednesday, former presidential aspirant Leysander Ordenes also finalized his candidacy.
The roster of candidates grew on Thursday when a designated representative submitted the official filing documents for Jacinto Bautista Frani Jr.
On Friday, the concluding day of the filing period, Dasmariñas Mayor Jennifer Barzaga entered the race. She is the mother of Kiko Barzaga, the former Cavite 4th District Representative whose removal from office triggered the vacancy.
Per the timeline released by election authorities, the official election period will run from July 30 through September 13, with the campaign window scheduled between July 30 and August 27.
The special election was organized to replace Barzaga following his expulsion from the House of Representatives. On June 2, the lower chamber voted 265-14 to approve the House Committee on Ethics and Privileges’ recommendation for his removal.
The panel concluded that Barzaga was guilty of disorderly behavior, conduct unbecoming of a congressional member, and infractions against the House Code of Conduct.
Figures from the Commission on Elections indicate that the district encompasses upwards of 437,000 registered voters who are qualified to cast their ballots in the special polls.