Vice Mayor Francis Zamora files COC for San Juan mayoralty

Vice Mayor Francis Zamora filed his certificate for candidacy (COC) for San Juan City mayor on Tuesday, fulfilling an earlier promise he made to face current Mayor Guia Gomez for the position.

 

VM Francis Zamora files COC for San Juan City Mayor #Eleksyon2016 | via @iancruz pic.twitter.com/KpnFITshVO

— GMA News (@gmanews) October 13, 2015

 

Zamora tweeted an affirmation of his plans hours before filing his COC.

 

Seeing photos of a very beautiful rainbow over San Juan this morning ???? this is a very good sign as we will be filing our COCs this morning ????

— francis zamora (@franciszamora30) October 13, 2015

 

He was joined by running mate Totoy Bernardo and his 12 councilors, including retired PBA player Paul Artadi, actress Ericka Villongco, and Lance Raymundo, singer Rannie Raymundo's sibling.

 

The former De La Salle University Green Archers center declared his plans to run for mayoralty last week after accusing Gomez of building a dynasty with her current slate of candidates for the 2016 polls.

 

"Tama na! Sobra na! Sama-sama nating tapusin ang 46 na taon ng pag-hawak ng pamilya Estrada sa lungsod ng San Juan!" Zamora said in a clip from a rally shown on 24 Oras last Tuesday.

 

According to Zamora on Tuesday, the Ejercitos met with jailed Sen. Jinggoy Estrada at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center last June 12 to discuss their plans for the upcoming elections.

 

It was there that the Ejercitos decided to let Estrada's niece Jana Ejercito run to represent San Juan's lone district and for Estrada's granddaughter Janella Ejercito to run for vice mayor.

 

The younger Zamora said parting from the Estradas was a heavy burden for him and his father Ronaldo, the incumbent San Juan Representative, but was necessary to enact changes in the city.

 

He even challenged Gomez and the two Ejercitos to a political debate.

 

Gomez, mother of Senator JV Ejercito, said she felt betrayed by Zamora's accusations and plans to run against her.

 

"It was difficult for me. In the first place, my son, Senator JV, was one of the authors of that anti-dynasty bill. I was thinking, hindi naman kami dynasty. We submitted ourselves to the electoral process... I loved him, I treated him like a son," Gomez said. —Rie Takumi/KG, GMA News