Tuguegarao City, Cagayan—Incumbent three-term Vice Governor Melvin Vargas, Jr. is moving up the political ladder as he filed his certificate of candidacy (COC) for governor of the province shortly before noon at the Cagayan provincial election office on Wednesday.
Lawyer Michael Camangeg, the Cagayan provincial election supervisor, advised political aspirants to file their COCs early and avoid the hassle of last-minute submissions by October 8. The provincial office received zero applicants on the first day of the COC filing last Tuesday.
Vargas, 43, is running under the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas allied with President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. The vice governor enjoys the support of a broad local coalition with his partymates from Lakas-CMD and Aksyon Demokratiko bets.
Later, Dr. Zarah Lara—the wife of incumbent Cagayan third district Rep. Joseph Lara—also filed her COC for governor. Another challenger for the top provincial post was said to be former Philippine National Police chief Edgardo Aglipay, who is expected to submit his COC on October 7.
Other 2025 political aspirants who filed their COCs as board members include lawyer Minehaha ‘Hang’ Espejo of Aksyon Demokratiko and Arvin Garcia of Nationalist People’s Coalition.
