Two CSC candidates withdraw, all remaining aspirants to run unopposed

By Patricia Lumenario and Angela Atejera

The UST Central Commission on Elections (COMELEC) released the final list of candidates on Tuesday, March 7, after the withdrawal of candidacy of aspirants running for vice presidential and secretarial posts.

Interim public relations officer of the College of Architecture Student Council Angelo dela Cruz and interim president of the College of Education Student Council Peter Estalilla both withdrew from the electoral race due to health concerns.

Dela Cruz was supposed to run for the position of vice president while Estalilla was a candidate for secretary, before announcing their withdrawal from candidacy on March 6.

“I really wanted to continue the fight — it was the plan ever since — but I do not want to put the position in jeopardy because of my unstable mental health,” Estalilla told TomasinoWeb.

According to the memorandum released by the COMELEC, dela Cruz sent his letter of withdrawal of candidacy through an email without publicly disclosing any specific reason for his decision.

Despite the sudden withdrawal of some candidates, the elections will proceed on March 27 to April 1 with the remaining six candidates all coming from independent parties.

Incumbent Artlets Student Council vice president external Ierathel Tabuno is the lone applicant for the position of president.

After Dela Cruz’s withdrawal, College of Commerce and Business Administration junior and interim Public Relations Officer of the Commerce and Business Student Council Aiah Jacinto is the remaining candidate for vice president.

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For the secretarial position, John Harold Peralta, a first year LEAPMed student from the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery and the incumbent executive coordinator to the CSC secretary, became the only applicant

Meanwhile, Rafael Luis Pesuena, the current executive coordinator to the treasurer of the CSC from the College of Commerce and Business Administration, filed their candidacy for the position of treasurer.

Running for Auditor is the current CSC deputy chief-of-staff, James Ceñido, hailing from the College of Commerce and Business Administration.

College of Fine Arts and Design junior Maxine Javier is vying to be the public relations officer of the CSC after serving as the executive associate for media coverages of the student council.

The filing of the certificate of candidacy and oath taking of aspiring candidates were held last Feb. 28.

The campaign period will run from March 6 to 8, and March 22 to 25, while the yearly Tagisan debate is set to take place on March 25, Saturday.

Meanwhile, the election period will be held from March 27 to April 1 and the Executive Board across the CSC and respective Local Student Councils will be proclaimed on April 1.