At least 105 LP members in House – Belmonte

MANILA, Philippines - More than 100 congressional candidates of the ruling Liberal Party (LP) have defeated their opponents in the May 13 elections.

Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said yesterday he expects at least 105 LP House members in the incoming 16th Congress, which convenes on July 22.

Belmonte led the ruling party slate that won all six House seats in Quezon City. He and other key House leaders, including Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales II, will most likely keep their posts. Gonzales was reelected Mandaluyong City representative.

Other LP leaders are claiming a higher number of party winners.

Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone, who has won a second term, said there were 110 LP congressional winners as of yesterday.

On the other hand, Sen. Franklin Drilon, who is the ruling party’s chairman, said his count was 143.

The Commission on Elections website as well as poll results monitored by television network GMA-7 reflect a number that is closer to Belmonte’s 105 and Evardone’s 110.

The administration party won 19 of Metro Manila’s 32 congressional seats, with the other districts going mostly to its party-allies and only three going to the opposition United Nationalist Alliance.

Aside from Quezon City, LP swept all seats in Caloocan City and Marikina City, and won four of six in Manila.

Besides Belmonte and Gonzales, LP winners in the metropolis include Edgar Erice and Enrico Echiverri of Caloocan, Marcelino Teodoro and Miro Quimbo of Marikina, Roman Romulo of Pasig, Rodolfo Biazon of Muntinlupa, and Arnel Cerafica of Taguig.

LP candidates won in at least four districts in the Cordillera region, two in the Ilocos, one in Cagayan Valley, eight in Central Luzon (including three in Bulacan and two in Nueva Ecija), nine in Calabarzon (including four in Cavite and three in Laguna), four in the Mimaropa region, seven in Bicol, 10 in Western Visayas (including five in Iloilo), seven in Central Visayas, another seven in Eastern Visayas, and 22 in Mindanao.

In the Cordillera region, Ilocos provinces and Cagayan Valley, LP winners include Teddy Baguilat of Ifugao, Manuel Agyao of Kalinga, Eric Singson of Ilocos Sur, Henedina Abad of Batanes, Baby Arenas of Pangasinan, and Dakila Cua of Quirino.