Clash of clans: Dynasties fight for Leyte strongholds in 2025 electoral races

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CEBU, Philippines – Political dynasties are alive and kicking in the province of Leyte, especially with their sons, daughters, nephews and nieces joining the fray for the upcoming polls in May.

Leyte is home to many strong political families like the Romualdezes, Javiers, Petillas, and Velosos to name a few. Though, there are also independent candidates challenging their power.

Based on data from the Commission on Elections (Comelec), Leyte is the 14th most vote-rich province in the country with around 1,093,480 voters. In the Visayas, it is the fourth most vote-rich province after Cebu, Negros Occidental, and Iloilo

Rappler lists down some of the races to follow this campaign season in Leyte.

Gubernatorial race: Petilla son versus independents

GUBERNATORIAL RACE. Leyte Governor Jericho Petilla is running against independents Romeo Plasquita and Minda Buctot. Photo from Jericho “Icot” Petilla Facebook Page

Former energy secretary and incumbent Governor Carlos Jericho Petilla is seeking reelection in the province of Leyte. He is carrying the banner of the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), chaired by Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas senatorial aspirant Vicente “Tito” Sotto III.

Petilla comes from a powerful political family in Leyte. His father Leopoldo Petilla, mother and Palo town mayor Remedios Petilla, and brother Leopoldo Dominico Petilla have all served as Leyte governor. But Petilla still has some competition.

Retired cop Romeo Plasquita, who ran for president in 2016 and senator in 2022 to highlight his concerns over unpaid retirement claims, is also gunning for governor. Minda Buctot, an independent candidate making it a three-way fight for the gubernatorial seat of Leyte.

First district race: Romualdezes and sons 

FIRST DISTRICT RACE. Clockwise from topmost: House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, Tacloban City Councilor Aspirant Marty Romualdez, Tacloban City Vice Mayoral aspirant Raymund Romualdez, Tolosa Mayor Erwin Ocaña, Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez, Tacloban City and Mayoral aspirant Michael Dela Cruz; Center: Tacloban City Vice Mayoral aspirant Mark Vincent Romualdez. Photos from Facebook pages of candidates

On the top of the list of Romualdezes vying for official posts is Lakas–Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas CMD) President and House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez who is seeking his third and final term as representative of Leyte’s first district. 

Romualdez is the cousin of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Senator Imee Marcos, and the nephew of former first lady Imelda Romualdez Marcos and the late dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos.

Independents Minerva Gaut, Danilo Chua, and Romilda Bacale filed their certificates of candidacy in October 2024 to challenge Romualdez for the congressional seat. However, their names were not included in the final list of aspirants.

Chua withdrew his candidacy, while the Comelec en banc declared Gaut a nuisance candidate and disqualified Bacale for being a non-registered voter in Leyte’s first district. Romualdez is now unopposed.

Romualdez’s son, Ferdinand Martin “Marty” Romualdez Jr., is also running for councilor in Tacloban City. Marty will be running with the house speaker’s cousin, incumbent Tacloban City mayor Alfred Romualdez who is eyeing the mayoral seat. 

The Tacloban City mayor’s running mate is his son, Raymund Romualdez who will be going up against another Romualdez, Mark Vincent Romualdez, for the position of vice mayor. Mark’s standard-bearer is Team Pagbabago head and Duterte supporter Michael Dela Cruz who is challenging the Tacloban City mayor for his seat. 

In Tolosa town, the house speaker’s nephew John Lorenz Romualdez is running for mayor and carrying the banner of the Aksyon Demokratiko party. He will be facing incumbent Tolosa Mayor Erwin Ocaña, a close ally of the house speaker.

Second District : Javier clan seek reelection

SECOND DISTRICT RACE. Clockwise from left: Leyte Second District Representative aspirant Alberto Hidalgo, Leyte Vice Governor Leonardo “Sandy” Javier Jr., Javier Mayor Michael Dragon Javier Leyte Second District Representative Lolita Tañala-Javier, and Jaro Mayor Jassie Tañala. Photos from Facebook pages of candidates

Leyte Vice Governor Leonardo “Sandy” Javier Jr., Petilla’s running mate and founder of chicken fast food chain Andok’s Philippines, is seeking reelection and is unopposed for the upcoming polls. 

His wife, Leyte second district representative Lolita Tañala-Javier, is going up against pro-Duterte lawyer Alberto Hidalgo for the congressional seat.

But that’s not all. Jassie Tañala, their son, is the incumbent mayor of Jaro town who will be seeking reelection. His brothers, Michael Dragon and Mark Christopher Javier are running in Javier town for mayor and vice mayor, respectively.

Third and Fourth District: Velosos and Gomezes and Kerwin Espiñosa

THIRD AND FOURTH DISTRICT RACE. Clockwise from left: Albuera Mayoral aspirant Rolan “Kerwin” Espinosa, Leyte Third District Representative Anna Tuazon-Veloso, Leyte Provincial Board Member Vincent Rama, Leyte Fourth District Representative Aspirant Vicente Sofronio “Ching” Veloso, Leyte Third District Representative aspirant Emmanuel “Wingwing” Veloso, Leyte Fourth District Representative Richard Gomez, Ormoc City Mayor Lucy Marie Torres-Gomez, and Albuera Mayor Sixto dela Victoria. Photos from Facebook, LGU Website.

The third and fourth districts of Leyte have very interesting dynamics going on between family members.

For the seat of Leyte third district representative, incumbent congresswoman Anna Tuazon-Veloso will be going up against her cousin Emmanuel “Wingwing” Veloso, the local bet of the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP) chaired by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr..

The congresswoman’s sister Marie Kathryn is running for provincial board member while their father, Vicente Sofronio “Ching” Veloso, is competing against Leyte fourth district representative Richard Gomez for the congressional seat.

Anna, Marie, and Vincent are running under the National Unity Party (NUP), which is part of the Marcos-backed Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas coalition.

Still in the fourth district, Gomez’s wife, Ormoc City mayor Lucy Marie Torres-Gomez is seeking reelection and running under PFP. Her opponent, Violy Codilla, is running under NUP.

Lucy’s sister, Carmen Jean Torres-Rama, is running for Ormoc city councilor, while her brother, 

incumbent Kananga town Mayor Manuel Vicente Torres is running against ex-Kananga mayor Rowena Codilla for the mayoral seat. 

Carmen’s husband, Leyte provincial board member Vincent Rama is running for mayor in Albuera town against alleged drug lord Rolan “Kerwin” Espinosa and incumbent mayor Sixto dela Victoria. 

Espinosa is the son of slain Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa. On November 5, 2016, the former mayor was killed inside his jail cell in a reported shootout within the Baybay City Sub-Provincial Jail.

Fifth District: Baligods versus Caris

FIFTH DISTRICT RACE. Clockwise from left: Baybay City Mayor Jose Carlos Cari, Leyte Fifth District Representative Carl Nicolas Cari, Leyte Fifth District Representative aspirant Levito Baligod, and Baybay City mayoral aspirant Marilou “Malot” Galenzoga-Baligod. Photos from Facebook pages of candidates

Lawyer Levito Baligod, known for being the legal counsel of the principal whistleblowers of the pork barrel scam, is challenging Leyte fifth district representative Carl Nicolas Cari, the son of Baybay City Mayor Jose Carlos Cari, for his congressional seat in the upcoming polls.

The Baybay City mayor is also the cousin of the Leyte governor.

Baligod’s wife, Marilou “Malot” Galenzoga is also going up against the mayor of Baybay, making it a husband and wife duo against a father and son tandem. – Rappler.com