Former Bangued Mayor Ryan Luna, 45, and his younger brother Buck Roger, 32, incumbent barangay chairman of Dangdangla, also in Bangued, filed their candidacies Wednesday morning against the grandmother-grandson tandem of former vice mayor Mila Acosta-Valera and councilor Joaquin “Kiko” Valera-Bernos in the capital town.
Portending things to come during the local campaign including intense political rivalry between the two political families, whose allies, supporters and themselves figured in armed skirmishes in the past.
Former Mayor Ryan, who was ousted from in 2013 from a 2007 murder suit in connection with the killing of a lady mayoral bet from another Abra town, ran for vice governor but lost in 2016 after his murder case was dismissed. He again ran but lost in the mayoral race in Bangued in 2019.
“This sacrifice is for the people of Bangued,” the former Mayor said, citing numerous compounding issues in Bangued that according to him “have made common folk lives very difficult”. He mentioned unreasonable revenue generation issuances by the administration of incumbent Bangued mayor Dominic Valera, wife of ex-Mayor Luna’s foe in the mayoral race and incumbent Bangued vice mayor. The people must have a good choice, he reiterated.
Ex mayor Luna and his family are allied with Aksyon Demokratiko.
His older brother, former Lagayan mayor Jendrix, is also throwing his hat challenging Mayor Dominic Valera, in perhaps a two-cornered gubernatorial race in May 2022.
While the Seares-Luna matriarch, former Abra congresswoman Cecille, is seeking the mayoral post in Lagayan town.
By indications, the supposed run of the Bersamins headed by former Supreme Court Justice Lucas, earlier rumored to face incumbent lawmaker Joseph “JB” Bernos, his brother- former Governor Eustaquio supposedly to reclaim his post against Mayor Dominic Valera, and niece by former Congressman Luis “Chito”— Chari against Valera’s daughter incumbent governor Ma. Jocelyn, has not come into a reality yet two days before the end of the filing of candidacies on October 8.
As of Wednesday mid-afternoon, Rep. JB Bernos, House committee on games and amusements, have no opponent yet, though he said, somebody might just file to challenge his third term dream.
Rep. Bernos’ sister, Mayor Denise Bragas and their mother Ester are also seeking for their second fresh terms in Danglas town, while Mayor Bragas husband, lawyer Russel, who ran but lost in the mayoral race in San Juan town in 2019, is seeking a seat in Abra’s provincial board.
While La Paz town mayor Menchie, wife of Rep. Bernos is seeking re-election and accordingly, no one has filed yet to challenge her.
