Agusan congressional bet spent only P1,000 for May 10 polls

BUTUAN CITY – An independent candidate in Agusan del Norte could have been the lowest spender among all the contenders in the May 10 polls as he claimed to have spent only P1,000 for his political campaign. Agusan del Norte’s second congressional district candidate Jorge Maceda Lumongsod claimed in a sworn statement that he submitted to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) that he spent only P1,000 during the 60-day campaign period for the May 10 elections. He also claimed not to have received a single centavo in political contributions. On the other hand, the expenditures of Lumongsod’s rivals— former Carmen, Agusan del Norte Mayor Jovitte Calo and former Agusan del Norte Governor Maria Angelica Rosdell Amante— were in the hundreds of thousands of pesos. Amante who emerged as the winner, said her total expenditures and contributions amounted to P332,252 while Independent bet Jovitte Calo said hers was P250,000. Amante claimed that out of the total amount she spent for the elections, P150,000 came from her own pocket while P182,252.80 came from contributions. Calo for her part claimed in her sworn statement that P60,000 came from her own pocket while P190,000.00 was from contributions. Meanwhile, Liberal Party congressional bet for Agusan del Norte’s first district, Angelo Jimenez, former administrator of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) claimed in his sworn statement that he spent P25,574 from his own pocket and received no contributions. His lone rival, who emerged as the winner, incumbent First District Agusan del Norte Rep. Jose “Joboy" Aquino II of Lakas-KAMPI, claimed in his sworn statement that he spent P545,000 for the May elections. Aquino claimed P175,000 came from his own pocket while P340,000 came from donations or contributions. On the gubernatorial race, Lakas-KAMPI Agusan del Norte gubernatorial bet incumbent Governor Erlpe John Amante, who emerged as the winner, claimed that he spent P398,752.80 for the May elections. Amante is the brother of Congresswoman Amante. According to the Comelec office in Agusan del Norte, Amante’s lone rival for the gubernatorial post, Independent bet Roger Patanaom, has not yet filed his sworn statement of expenditures and contributions, a requirement for all candidates. Agusan del Norte has one chartered city and 10 municipalities whose total number of registered voters is 176,438. –VVP, GMANews.TV