Time trial kicks off Padyak Pinoy

Last Monday’s electoral exercise has resulted in some new faces with familiar names, but also left some political clans out in the cold.

Political dynasties continue to dominate Philippine politics, as evidenced by the emergence of members of the same family running for different positions.

Take the case of Davao City, where for the first time in the city’s political history, a father and daughter tandem has been virtually assured of securing the city’s top two posts.

In initial quick count tallies by media groups and the National Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel), re-electionist Mayor Rodrigo Duterte garnered some 100,000 votes over three other mayoralty hopefuls, while his daughter Sara is also practically assured of a sure win over her opponent, a certain Jeff Ho, in the vice mayoralty race.

The elder Duterte is the city’s longest serving mayor, with a total time in office of over two decades, and has emerged as the consistent winner in all his re-election bids.

Outgoing North Cotabato Gov. Emmanuel Piñol ran for the lower position of vice governor, and is virtually assured of his new, self-imposed demotion with 20,000 votes over his rival.

His three siblings are set to be proclaimed winners as well.

Efren Piñol is a re-electionist mayor of Magpet town while Bernardo is aspiring for a congressional seat in the second district of the province. Joselito, on the other hand, is set to be proclaimed anytime this week as mayor of Mlang town.

Up north, Pangasinan Rep. Amado Espino virtually broke the decades long grip of the Agbayani family in the province by keeping his lead over his closest rival Jamie Eloise Agbayani, the wife of outgoing Gov. Victor Agbayani.

Espino claimed his battle cry of ending the “Agbayani regime” in Pangasinan might have worked in his favor.

“I believe the people (in Pangasinan must) have realized that,” Espino said.

The Agbayani family began their political career in the province with the late governor Aguedo Agbayani holding office from 1971 to 1986, and then again from 1992 to 1995. His son, the incumbent governor, served from 1998 to 2007.

Also in Pangasinan, retired police general Reynaldo Velasco was officially proclaimed as the new mayor of Sta. Barbara town, breaking the grip of the Zaplan family who ruled over the town for 12 years.

Velasco won against former mayor Carlito Zaplan who is seeking to regain the post occupied by his wife, outgoing mayor Jinky Zaplan.

Except for Zaplan, most of the mayors in the province who sought re-election won.

Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. is set to retain his foothold in the fourth congressional district of Pangasinan with 45,965 votes so far against Dagupan City mayor Benjamin Lim who got 23,167 votes in the initial quick count.

In La Union, an Ortega is once again emerging as the winner in the gubernatorial race, but on the congressional level, the rival Dumpits have carved out a victory.

La Union’s first district Rep. Manuel Ortega has beaten his colleague, Rep. Tomas Dumpit Sr. in the gubernatorial race but the latter’s son Butch won the congressional seat in the second district.

Based on the final tally by the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) in the province, Ortega got 110,007 votes against Dumpit’s 77, 894 votes.

Outgoing Gov. Victor Ortega, on the other hand, won by a landslide against his rival Milagros Magsaysay in the province’s first congressional district.

Sudipen town Mayor Alexander Buquing, along with other mayors in the province, were proclaimed winners by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) yesterday.

Buquing, who was suspended for three months for alleged dishonesty, won by a wide margin against former mayor Betty Piaoan.

In nearby Bangar town, the sister-brother team of Joy and Gary Pinzon were proclaimed mayor and vice mayor, respectively.

Their father, George Pinzon, was proclaimed mayor of the town of Luna.

In Bacnotan, Rufino Fontanilla was proclaimed mayor with his wife Minda as vice mayor.

In Zambales, former governor Amor Deloso staged a comeback by winning the gubernatorial race with Anne Gordon, daughter of re-electionist Olongapo City Mayor James Gordon, as the new vice governor.

Deloso, who had served as governor of the province for three consecutive terms before Team Unity senatorial bet Vicente Magsaysay took over, defeated Jesus Magsaysay, the son of the senatorial candidate.

Gordon, on the other hand, defeated former labor undersecretary Buenaventura Magsalin.

In Abra, Eustaqio “Kit” Bersamin continues to lead in the gubernatorial race over Ching Valera, wife of incumbent governor Vicente Valera.

In the initial unofficial partial results, Bersamin is leading Valera by as much as 15,000 votes.

However, Valera, who was accused in the assassination of Rep. Luis Bersamin last year, is leading the crop of congressional candidates in the province.

Close fights

In the province of Tarlac, it is still a close fight between Victor Yap and Jose “Peping” Cojuangco in the gubernatorial race.

Yap continues to dominate the province’s second district while Cojuangco continues to gain votes in the first district.

Yap though has begun to widen his lead over Cojuangco with 19,715 votes.

In Pampanga, candidates in the gubernatorial race have proclaimed themselves as the winner, as have the two major rivals in the gubernatorial race in Isabela.

Pampanga board member Lilia Pineda and running mate Vice Gov. Joseller “Yeng” Guiao declared victory in last Monday’s polls.

Guiao represented Pineda in a press conference and declared they have the figures from copies of official election returns (Ers) showing their lead over their closest rivals.

The camp of re-electionist Gov. Mark Lapid also issued their own figures, supposedly based on the same ERs which showed the incumbent governor on top by 186,289 votes.

Lapid’s figures showed closest rival Fr. Eddie Panlilio with 176,694 and Pineda with 176,101 votes.

In Isabela, incumbent Gov. Grace Padaca and her rival, former governor Benjamin Dy, have both claimed victory.

Padaca, who broke the Dy family’s domination in Isabela politics in the 2004 elections, claimed she is winning by a substantial margin with 152,061 votes as against Dy’s 123,229.

Padaca claimed she won in the 28 of the province’s 34 towns.

Dy, on the other hand, cited their own tabulation showing a lead of some 30,000 votes.

In the partial and unofficial results of the PPCRV, Padaca had already obtained 71,0177 votes as against Dy’s 60,179.

Meanwhile, the Comelec has officially proclaimed at least 135 local candidates as winners nationwide.

Comelec special action center chief Adolfo Ibañez said the poll body has completed the canvassing and already proclaimed the winning candidates.

“Based on reports from our regional directors. canvassing and proclamation in 135 or about 15 percent of the 1,510 municipalities nationwide have already been completed,” Ibañez said.

Ibañez noted the Ilocos provinces accounted for the biggest number of proclaimed winners as of 12 noon yesterday.

He said the winning candidates in Biliran were the first to be proclaimed shortly after the elections last Monday. – with Eva Visperas, John Unson, Diogenes Simbol, Teddy Molina, Ding Cervantes, Celso Amo, Ben Serrano, Charlie Lagasca, Ric Sapnu, Jun Elias, Mayen Jaymalin, Roberto Dejon