2025 congressional fight
TACLOBAN CITY– The 2025 midterm elections may be more than a year from now but former Leyte congressman Vicente ‘Ching’ Veloso has declared to run.
And this time, he will be seeking a post being occupied by Rep. Richard Gomez in Leyte’s fourth congressional district.
Veloso, a former justice of the Court of Appeals, served for three terms ending in 2019 as a lawmaker in Leyte’s third congressional district.
On Monday (March 11), Veloso transferred his voter registration from Villaba, part of the 3rd district, to Isabel, one of the municipalities of the fourth congressional district.
And in a media interview, Veloso admitted that his change in voter registration is part of his plan to run for congressman.
Asked what compelled him to contest the post currently occupied by Rep. Gomez, the 79-year old Veloso said that during his visits to the different towns in the 4th district, he saw ‘people suffering.’
Veloso’s daughter, Ana Victoria Tuazon, is the incumbent congressional representative of Leyte’s third district.
But in a statement, Gomez downplayed the plan of Veloso to run against him in next year’s elections, saying he would not be distracted on his job for his people in the district.
“My focus is on addressing the concerns of the people in my district. It is my duty to safeguard the interests of the fourth district of Leyte and protect them from the self-serving actions of politicians who prioritize personal gain over public welfare,” Gomez added.
Four mayors in Gomez’s congressional district, Ramon Oñate of Palompon, Bernardino Tacoy of Matag-ob, Edgardo Cordeño of Isabel, Rolando Villavicenio of Merida, and Sixto de la Victoria of Albuera, joined Veloso when he filed his certificate of voter’s registration.
Gomez is serving on his first term as a congressman of Leyte’s 4th district.
JOEY A. GABIETA
