A new name has recently surfaced to vie for the presidency of the Philippine Councilors League (PCL) Bohol chapter. Early birds who are interested in one of the most-coveted seats, as ex-officio member of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, are city councilor-elect lawyer Alexander “Aleckoy” Herrera Lim and last-termer councilor Antonio Ouano of Getafe town, reports said. The names of former3rd district congressman and now city councilor-elect lawyer Adam Relson Jala and Inabanga Mayor and now councilor-elect Jono Jumamoy were also floated around. But out-going provincial Liga ng mga Barangay (LnB) president Crispina Vergara surfaced lately as a new name being groomed to replace incumbent president Ramonito Torrefranca, who is reelected Carmen councilor.

In an interview last Friday, Torrefranca said he’s not made up his mind yet if he vies for PCL re-election. Vergara, who was texted up yesterday, did not return the text to confirm her being groomed for the PCL top post. Vergara, who is bowing out of LnB since her election as Mabini councilor, is being mentioned as a potential bet with the backing of reelected Vice-Gov. Concepcion O. Lim. Vergara clinched the LnB presidency with the support and effective resources of the vice-governor, said a very reliable source. Incumbent provincial board member and now elected Inabanga Mayor Josephine Socorro C. Jumamoy, in a separate interview, gave no categorical answer yet if her son, Jono Jumamoy, is interested in the PCL presidency. In a separate phone interview yesterday, former congressman and now commissioner of Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) lawyer Eladio M. Jala said that his son, Adam Jala, may not vie for the said post. He said that it would be an uphill battle for Adam to engage in the race without the blessing of the provincial Liberal Party leadership.

Jala, Lim, Jumamoy, Torrefranca and Vergara, all belong to the coalition of the LP in the province except for Ouano. Outgoing PCL stalwart city councilor Edi Borja said that both Lim and Jala are city councilors-elect. But Lim said he has the edge considering his experience in government service, Borja said. Lim ran under the LP of defeated city mayoralty bet lawyer Dodong Gonzaga while Adam Jala under the National Unity party (NUP) of mayor-elect John Geesnell “Baba” Yap. PCL is composed of regular eight members of the Sanggunaiang Bayan along with sectoral representations of the LnB and Sangguniang Kabataan, except for the city since it has regular 10 members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod plus the Liga and SK representatives.