Imperial vs Bichara in Albay

By Mar S. Arguelles LEGAZPI CITY --- Ako Bicol Party nominees filed on Wednesday morning their respective COCs at the Commission on Election (COMELEC) office in Intramuros Manila. AKB Rep Alfredo Garbin in a phone interview said he and lawyers Justine Batocabe and Bobby Ang filed their respective COCs with the COMELEC election officers in Manila at about 9:27 a.m. on October 17. Garbin said the two nominees underwent the usual selection procedures laid down by the AKB party. Garbin said following the party selection procedure, he was chosen as the party’s first nominee followed by lawyer Justine Batocabe as the second nominee and lawyer Bobby Ang as the third nominee. Batocabe, 30, is the eldest son of AKB Rep. Rodel Batocabe who is on his last term as House representative. Ang, the third nominee, replaces AKB Rep. Christopher Co who also on his final third term as party-list representative. Meanwhile, Albay 1st District Rep. Edcel Lagman (LP) who is running for re-election is being challenged by incumbent Sto. Domingo Municipal Mayor Herbie Aguas. Mayor Aguas who is on his last term will run under the banner of the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) party. Aguas filed his COC Wednesday morning at the Comelec provincial office here. Albay Vice Gov. Harold Imperial will challenge incumbent Albay Gov. Al Francis Bichara who is seeking re-election for the second term. Imperial beat the COC filing deadline last Wednesday at the provincial office here. Imperial is running under the banner of the Liberal Party. A four-cornered fight will highlight the gubernatorial contest with Bichara (PDP-Laban), the incumbent governor, being challenged by Imperial of the Liberal Party, lawyer Zacarias Zaragoza, a retired Comelec Bicol regional director, and an independent candidate named Gamal Arcilla a former military general, of the LP party.