Garcia reelected as governor: Gwen wins by 90,000 votes

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia was proclaimed winner of the gubernatorial race last night by the Provincial Board of Canvassers of the Commission on Elections at the Capitol Social Hall.

Garcia garnered a total of 639,587 votes against the 543,246 of her main rival Hilario Davide III.

Declared winner of the vice gubernatorial race was incumbent Gregorio Sanchez with 543,924 against the 517,687 of Glenn Soco, who was the runningmate of Garcia.

Garcia said that her margin of victory showed that it wasn’t a close fight.

“Having a margin of over 90,000 is not a close fight, I want to correct that mind-setting impression,” said Garcia before the proclamation.

She made this statement after several said that Davide, who was a two-term councilor of Cebu City before he threw his hat into the gubernatorial derby, gave the incumbent governor a run for her money.

Garcia said that her rivals tried to use a smear campaign against her, but she still prevailed.

The governor said that despite the black propaganda against her, the people of Cebu still gave her a new mandate.

“Bisan unsa kagrabe sa ilang pagbugal- bugal nako apan ang katawhan sa Sugbo mibarog kanako,” Garcia said. 

Garcia presented to the media the propaganda materials containing caricatures maligning her that were distributed one day before the elections.

She also said that Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña even used the resources of the city to campaign for Davide by putting up billboards at the South Road Properties heckling her.

She also said that she will look into the results of the elections closely and try to figure out where they failed, but she is happy that most candidates of One Cebu Party won.

Garcia added that she will finish the projects that she started in her first two terms of office.

Congressional, Pb Races

In the First District, Rep. Eduardo Gullas was given an overwhelming fresh mandate having garnered 209,208 votes while his closest rival, Luna Sabalones, only got 10,527 votes.

Also given a fresh three-year term was Provincial Board Member Julian Daan for the 1st District. He will be joined by Dr. Sergio Restauro, a Councilor of Talisay City.

Daan, who is a popular radio personality, got a total of 156,341 votes while Restauro got 63,458 votes.

Rep. Pablo Garcia, the governor’s father, was also reelected to his post in the 2nd District while his son, Rep. Pablo John Garcia, also handily won in the 3rd District.

The elder Garcia got a total of 117,670 votes while his son garnered 127,730 votes.

The incumbent PB members of the 2nd District also got reelected. John Peter Calderon got 83,870 votes while Wilfredo Caminero got 77,783 votes.

In the 3rd District, PB member Ian Zambo was re-elected with 95,525 votes. He will be joined in the Provincial Board by Balamban Mayor Alex Binghay, who garnered 92,508 votes.

In the 4th District, incumbent Rep. Benhur Salimbangon handily won the race this time with a total of 137,324 votes against former Bogo Mayor Celestino “Tining” Martinez III, who only got 66,165.

The congressional race of this district was the most controversial in the 2007 elections. In fact, Martinez was declared winner by the Comelec weeks before the start of the campaign period, but never got the chance to take the seat as Salimbangon sought legal remedies.

Daanbantayan Mayor  Sun Shimura got 90,548 votes to earn a seat in the PB for the 4th District joining reelected Joven Mondigo, who got 88,340 votes.

 Rep. Ramon “Red” Durano VI was also reelected in the 5th District with a total of 163,874 votes against his cousin Jesus Durano, Jr. who got 24,441 votes.

 Reelected as PB member for the 5th District was Agnes Magpale with 148,317 votes. She will be joined by nephew Jude Sybico, who got 103,099 votes in the board.

Former PB Member Gabriel Luis ‘Luigi’ Quisumbing was the runaway winner in the 6th District congressional race with an overwhelming 113,996 votes against rivals Ariston “Baludong” Cortes with 10,402 votes and Atty. Victor Biano with 5,504 votes.

Two former mayors also won seats for the provincial board representing the 6th District. 

Former Mandaue City Mayor Thadeo Ouano made it with 81,575 votes while former Cordova Mayor Arleigh Sitoy got 66,746 votes. — with reports from Lesley Caminade and Jose Sollano/NLQ (FREEMAN NEWS)