MANILA, Philippines — Luis Andres Abad, the son of former Budget Secretary and congressman Florencio Abad and late former lawmaker Henedina Razon-Abad, on Thursday filed his certificate of candidacy (COC) for the special election for the congressional race in the lone district of Batanes, according to the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
Comelec said Abad was the first candidate to submit his CO. The filing period is from October 14, 2026 to October 16, 2026.
The special elections will be held on November 28, 2026, following the death of Rep. Ciriaco Gato Jr. last September 21.
READ: Dy honors Rep. Ciriaco Gato Jr. for his legacy of service
Gato defeated Abad in the 2022 national and local elections by 835 votes.
Abad’s candidacy is backed by the Liberal Party, the party of his late mother, who served as deputy speaker in the 16th Congress, and chairperson of the House committee on government reorganization and vice chairperson of the House committee on rural development.
Gato has represented Batanes’ lone district in the House of Representatives since 2019 after narrowly defeating the Florencio Abad by 239 votes. /gsg
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