In Sulu, son now dad’s boss
ZAMBOANGA CITY , Philippines – The son is now his father’s boss.
Abdusakur “Totoh†Tan Jr. was proclaimed governor of Sulu, replacing his father, three-term Sulu Gov. Abdusakur Tan, who was elected vice governor of the island province.
The provincial board of canvassers proclaimed the father and son tandem as winners Thursday night.
Both Tans ran under the administration-led coalition Team PNoy.
They surpassed the threshold of 144,000 votes needed out of the 249,289 registered voters in the province, prompting the Commission on Elections to declare them winners despite 30 percent of the votes still left to be counted, according to provincial information officer Bong Abing.
The younger Tan defeated Tongkil Mayor Abdulwahid Sahidullah and businessman Masihul Kadra for governor, while his father bested Muammar Tulawie for vice governor.
The father and son thanked the people of Sulu for their support.
Representatives Tupay Loong and Maryam Arbison, of the first and second districts, respectively, were also proclaimed winners at the provincial capitol of Sulu.
Loong, now on his third term, defeated Tarhata Misuari and former assemblyman Alvarez Isnaji.
Arbison, wife of former congressman Munir Arbison, clinched the congressional race, defeating incumbent Rep. Nur-Ana Sahidullah, wife of the defeated gubernatorial candidate.
Evardone wins second term
Former journalist Ben Evardone has won a second term as representative of the lone district of Eastern Samar.
He won over Mayor Annaliza Gonzales-Kwan of Guiuan town by more than 10,000 votes.
Evardone received 113,346 votes against his opponent’s 102,276.
Evardone was congressional reporter of Malaya newspaper before he entered politics. He was former governor of Eastern Samar.
In Northern Samar, the Dazas were wiped out.
Rep. Raul Daza of the first district lost to former representative Harlin Abayon, while Daza’s son Paul, who is governor of the province, was defeated by Jun Ong.
In the second district, Rep. Emil Ong, former National Food Authority administrator, was re-elected.
The New People’s Army went all out against the Dazas, accusing them of involvement in irregularities in irrigation projects in the Catubig Valley area. Rep. Daza, however, denied the allegations.
In Leyte, the five congressional winners, including Lucy Torres-Gomez of the fourth district, have been proclaimed.
In Southern Leyte, brothers Roger and Damian Mercado swapped posts. Roger, the incumbent congressman, will assume the gubernatorial post that will be vacated by Damian, who will take over his brother’s congressional seat.
Ejercito re-elected
Re-electionist Laguna Gov. Jeorge “ER†Ejercito was proclaimed Thursday night by the provincial board of canvassers at the provincial capitol.
He was the last governor in Calabarzon region to be proclaimed after the transmission of election results from Calamba City and San Pablo City was delayed.
Ejercito, who ran under the opposition United Nationalist Alliance (UNA), beat former congressman Edgardo San Luis of the Liberal Party by a wide margin.
Ejercito had earned the ire of President Aquino when he arrived late at an event hosted by the provincial government for the President.
The governors of Cavite, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon have also mbeen proclaimed by the provincial board of canvassers. – With Jess Diaz, Ed Amoroso
- Latest
- Trending
