BALANGA City, Bataan: A 31-year-old daughter of Secretary Norberto Gonzales of the Department of National Defense was recorded as the “early bird” after she filed on Friday her Certificate of Candidacy (COC) for the position of congressman in Bataan’s Second District for the May 10, 2010 elections.

The Commission on Election’s provincial office at the Bataan capitol in Balanga City received the COC of Lawyer Maria Aurora Gonzales a few minutes after 10:00 a.m. that made her the first candidate in Bataan to file her candidacy for an elective post.

“Wala ng dahilan para patagalin pa sapagka’t tinutupad ko lamang ang ibinigay kong pangako sa ating mga constituents noong 2007. [There is no reason to delay [the filing] because I only make true the promise I made to my constituents in 2007],” Gonzales, better known as Atty. Marie, said when asked if she has any special reason for her filing on the first day her certificate.

She lost in a close fight to Rep. Albert Garcia in the last congressional election. She registered under the Partido Demokratiko Sosyalita ng Pilipinas (PDSP) chaired by Secretary Gonzales.

The Gonzaleses are from the seaside village of Puerto Rivas in Balanga City.

She said her father, concurrent national security adviser, is so busy with his new assignment as Defense secretary replacing administration Presidential candidate Gilbert Teodoro. “He is very busy right now,” the young Gonzales said.

Lawyer Elmo Duque, Commission on Elections provincial supervisor in Bataan, said with Gonzales’ filing of her COC, she is now banned to undertake premature campaigning and has to wait for the official campaign period on March next year.

Former Gov. Ding Roman of Bataan, former Vice Gov. Rogelio Roque, Mayor Nelson David of Limay, former Mayor Melanio Banzon of Balanga City and some other former officials accompanied Gonzales in filing her COC. Atty. Nicolo Molina, whom she just married a few months ago, was with her.

She said she will be using the family name Gonzales in her candidacy. Gonzales is expected to have a return bout with incumbent Rep. Albert Garcia for the second district composed of Balanga City and the towns of Pilar, Limay, Mariveles, Orion and Bagac.

Bataan has more than 440,000 registered voters as of October 19, more than one-half of which come from the second district.

Ernie B. Esconde