These are former Vice President Camsek Elias Chin, Foreign Investment Board Chairman John Skebong, former Sen. Caleb Otto, businessman Phillip Reklai and Compact Review chief Joshua Koshiba, a former senator.
Chin served as vice president of Palau from 2004 to 2008. He ran for president in 2008 but narrowly lost to Johnson Toribiong.
Skebong served as governor of Ngaremelengui for three terms before being appointed as chairman of the Foreign Investment Board.
Otto, who received a bachelor’s degree in medicine and surgery at the Fiji School of Medicine, was a member of the previous Olbiil Era Kelulau, the national legislature.
Reklai, who received a bachelor’s degree in political science at the University of Texas, has been an entrepreneur for at least 20 years. He is also the owner and publisher of Island Times, a biweekly newspaper published in this island nation.
Koshiba, known as the “Dean of the Senate,” was its member from the first to seventh national legislatures.
Jan. 31 is the deadline for the filing of certificates of candidacy and registration of voters.
A commission staff member said they are expecting more candidates to file their certificates in the coming days.
The recent death of Sen. Adalbert Eledui created the vacancy in the upper house.
