• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Mayor John Rey Tabujara, who will be seeking a third term as mayor of Cauayan, Negros Occidental, is unfazed by reports that he will be challenged in the 2025 midterm elections.
The filing of Certificate of Candidacy for the May 2025 elections, is slated for October, this year.
Tabujara yesterday said he is “ready and open to anyone” who may want to run against him.
This comes after reports that former President Rodrigo Duterte will endorse someone to challenge Tabujara in the Cauayan mayoralty race.
“We can’t stop anyone from running as we are a democracy,” Tabujara said.
If he has an opponent, the mayor said “I will know if the people still love me or not.”
They should prove to the people of Cauayan that they are worthy to run for public office, Tabujara further said.
Mayor Rogelio Raymund Tongson also confirmed on Wednesday that it would still be the TOGA tandem in Himamaylan City, in next year’s elections.
TOGA refers to the tandem of Tongson and his incumbent Vice Mayor Justin Gatuslao.
Mayor Benjie Miranda of Kabankalan City also earlier confirmed that he will also seek his second term as mayor.
His possible challenger, former Kabankalan City Mayor Isidro Zayco, has however remained tightlipped on whether he will run for mayor again, stressing that the election is still far away.
Zayco served as mayor of Kabankalan City for nine years, after serving as governor and vice of Negros Occidental.*
