By Leilanie G. Adriano
Staff Reporter
LAOAG CITY—Cecile Araneta-Marcos, the widow of the late Sangguniang Panlalawigan member and Ilocos Norte vice gubernatorial candidate Mariano ‘Nonong’ V. Marcos II, who died of cardiac arrest last month is substituting in for her late husband’s candidacy.
As the official campaign for local elections started on March 29, 2019, Mrs. Araneta-Marcos was accompanied by her sons and the Marcos family at the Commission on Elections on the same day to personally file her certificate of substitution candidacy.
Commission on Elections Resolution 10420 allows substitute candidates for those who withdraw their candidacies—and not just for those who die or get disqualified—until midday of election day.
The substitute, however, should share the surname of the original candidate. No substitution is allowed for independent candidates.
"The substitute for a candidate who died, withdrew his candidacy, or was disqualified by final judgment may file a COC up to midday of Election Day; provided that, the substitute and the substituted have the same surnames," said Comelec Resolution 10420.
In effect, the Marcos widow, who was nominated by the Nacionalista Party, will run in tandem with her nephew, senior SP member Matthew Joseph M. Manotoc, who is running for governor.
Earlier, Ferdinand Alexander ‘Sandro’ Marcos, the son of former senator Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos with wife Louise Araneta has been eyed to substitute for his uncle. This, however, did not push through.