The fight for the post of Ilocos Norte governor will go down between a seasoned politician in Rodolfo Fariñas and a young aspirant in Matthew Marcos Manotoc, Imelda Marcos’ grandson.
Farinas, who is Ilocos Norte 1st District representative, said on Friday that he would run for governor in his home province as a substitute for Jesus Arimboyutan.
The veteran politician added that he would run under the banner of PDP-Laban political party, President Rodrigo Duterte’s party.
The 67-year-old Fariñas will go up against Manotoc, Marcos’ grandson and son of incumbent Ilocos Norte Gov. senatorial candidate Imee Marcos.
Manotoc was actually slated to run as vice governor but will substitute for her grandmother after the elder Marcos withdrew her gubernatorial bid following her graft conviction by the Sandiganbayan.
Last year, Fariñas initiated a legislative investigation into the Ilocos Norte capitol’s acquisition of vehicles which he claimed was without public bidding under the incumbent Imee Marcos.