Four candidates vie for vacant Batanes congressional seat

Four candidates, including former Batanes Governor Marilou Cayco, have filed their certificates of candidacy (COCs) for the province's lone congressional seat ahead of the special election on 28 November.

Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Erwin Garcia said Cayco and two other aspirants filed their COCs on Friday, 16 October, the final day of the three-day filing period.

The two other candidates were identified as retired government employee John Gato and retired soldier Edward Ike De Sagon.

On Thursday, 15 October, Luis Andres Abad, son of former Budget Secretary Florencio Abad and the late former Batanes Rep. Henedina Razon-Abad, also filed his candidacy.

The special election was scheduled following the death of Batanes Rep. Ciriaco Gato Jr. on 21 September, leaving the province's lone congressional seat vacant.

According to Comelec records, Batanes has 13,138 registered voters.

The winning candidate will serve the remainder of the congressional term.