A former mayor of a town in Quirino is gunning for the top post in the province in 2022.

In an interview on Friday shortly after he filed his certificate of candidacy (COC), Camma said he would like to focus on uplifting the lives and rights of farmers and indigenous folk.

He decried the suspension by provincial officials last July of his daughter Nieverose Camma-Meneses, who is the incumbent mayor of Nagtipunan.

The case stemmed from a graft and oppression complaint filed by a municipal official.

Camma described his daughter’s suspension as “political persecution”.

Camma is a former ally of the Cuas, notably Rep. Junie Cua who has been a congressman from 1987 to 1998, 2001-2010 and 2019 to present. The elder Cua also served as governor from 2010 to 2019.

Camma hoped to end the reign of Governor Dakila Carlo Cua, who earlier filed his COC for reelection under the Pederalismo ng Dugong Dakilang Samahan (PDDS) party.

The incumbent provincial leader was asked by the Philippine News Agency in a phone interview about having a former political ally as a rival in the May 2022 elections. “It is just okay. We are in a democratic country. Let the people decide,” he said.