Incumbents coast to victory

Navotas re-electionist Mayor Tobias Reynaldo "Toby" Tiangco (Partido Navoteño-KNP) racked up an insurmountable lead over his opponent that prompted the local board of canvassers Thursday night to proclaim him as the mayor-elect with less than a hundred more election returns to be counted.

Tiangco, on his second term, was proclaimed at the spanking Navotas Municipal Hall around 9 p.m.

Navotas election officer Arnulfo Aguilar said the remaining election returns were no longer tabulated because it was mathematically impossible for his closest rival, independent candidate Salvador Monroy, to catch up with his numbers.

"I would like to thank my fellow Navoteños for once again giving me this mandate. This trust and confidence will be my inspiration to continue with our programs. My re-election shows that they still believe in what we can do for our beloved Navotas. I assure you all that further development and progress will by my priority," Tiangco said.

Under his first term, Navotas received numerous awards and citations in Metro Manila and in the entire country, particularly for its environment and peace and order programs.

The final official Comelec results showed Tiangco with 61,102 votes against Monroy’s 20,968, a whopping 40,000 lead. Navotas has a new vice mayor with the proclamations of Patrick Javier in a close fight with incumbent Vice Mayor Lutgardo Cruz (40,371 to 38,699).

Meanwhile, third termer Rep. Federico "Ricky" Sandoval also led by a wide margin over Cipriano Lacson (50,356 to 29,070) in the congressional race in Navotas. The Navotas-Malabon congressional seat winner will be known pending results of the canvassing in the Comelec-controlled Malabon City.

Winners for the first district city council were Ronnie Salvador, 23,693 votes; Jack Santiago, 23,611; Erlinda Ramirez, 22,358; Perfecto Jhon Cruz, 21,551; Jojo Pena, 19,408; and Domingo Elape, 19,248.

In the second district, the winners were Arnel Lupezan, 26,990; Ed Santiago, 24,737; Cesar Santos, 22,414; Boyet Chua, 21,201; Romy Ginogino, 20,294; and Edong Lizan, with 17,525 votes.

Canvassing of votes in Malabon City was at a slow pace due to verbal protests and a number of bomb threats.

Security officers manning the canvassing center at the city hall said that last Thursday afternoon canvassing was stopped four times due to bomb scares.

As of 11:30 a.m. yesterday, no available records could be acquired from the city’s board of election canvassers.