DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 22 Jan) – Lorie Trinidad Avila filed her certificate of candidacy (COC) on Thursday at the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) in Davao City as a substitute candidate to late husband Councilor Leonardo Avila III.
Lorie Trinidad Avila shows her certificate of candidacy at the Comelec-11 office in Davao City Thursday (21 January 2016). She is replacing her husband, the late Councilor Leonardo Avila III, who died last month after suffering stroke three months earlier. With her are Comelec Assistant Regional Director Marlon Casquejo (middle) and Pastor Luis Moran, Councilor Leo Avila’s staff. MindaNews photo by Antonio L. Colina IV
In an interview at the COMELEC office, Mrs. Avila vowed to continue the environmental and child protection advocacies of her husband if she gets elected as a councilor for the first district.
Mr. Avila served as councilor for seven terms from 1988 to 1998, 2001 to 2010, and 2013 until his death last December 20 after he suffered from stroke in September.
Mrs. Avila said that she had just received her certificate of nomination and acceptance (CONA) from Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) on same day of her filing of COC.
Mr. Avila ran under Hugpong sa Tawong Lungsod (Hugpong) from 2004 until 2015, an affiliate local party of PDP-Laban, until last year’s filing where he ran under PDP-Laban for the upcoming 2016 local and national elections.
His son, Lester, filed the COC in his stead last October 16.
Mrs. Avila said she is set to meet with the staff on Friday to conduct a strategic planning for the campaign period which will start on March 25.
She said that she is hoping to get the same warm support that her husband Leo received from the Dabawenyos.
“Coming from my heart, I decided to run for councilor,” she said.
She said that her son, Lester, could not substitute his father as he is busy and not ready to test the waters in politics yet again.
Filling in the vacancy
Mrs. Avila added that she would also fill in the seat vacated by her late husband for the remaining months of the 17th City Council until it adjourns by June 30.
She said she is just awaiting for an endorsement from Hugpong to be submitted to the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and to be signed by President Benigno Simeon Aquino III, so that she can start her function as a replacement to Councilor Avila.
Among Mr. Avila’s legislated ordinances include the Anti-Smoke Belching Ordinance (2006), Ban Aerial Spray Ordinance (2009), Watershed Code (2007), Establishment of Marine Protected Areas (2007), Fisheries Code (2008), Rainwater Ordinance (2009), Ecological Solid Waste Management Ordinance (2010), Septage and Sewerage Management Ordinance (2010), Organic Agriculture Ordinance (2010) and the Bicycle Ordinance (2010).
Marlon Casquejo, COMELEC-11 assistant regional director, said Mrs. Avila is an eligible candidate for the upcoming national and local polls since the substitution is allowed until the day of election for the reason of death and disqualification.
Mrs. Avila will be running against other 14 candidates, namely: Paul Alain Paragoso, Nilo Abellera Jr., Joanne Bonguyan, Bonifacio Militar, Leah Librado, Pilar Braga, Edgar Ibuyan Jr., Jessie Mar Culaste, Jesus Melchor Quitain Jr., Jackson Velos Reyes, Reynaldo Dignos, Leonardo Avila III, and John Christopher Mahamud, and Joseph Orilla.
