Joson magic fails to lift GMA in Ecija

CABANATUAN CITY — The vaunted strong leadership of re-elected Nueva Ecija Gov. Tomas Joson III has failed to lift the candidacy of President Arroyo, who lost by a landslide to opposition presidential standard bearer Fernando Poe Jr. in the province, a known bailiwick of Poe’s bosom buddy, deposed former President Joseph Estrada.

Mrs. Arroyo ended up a poor second to Poe in the province despite the forging of a tactical alliance between Joson’s Bagong Lakas ng Nueva Ecija (Balane) and the Lakas-CMD (Christian Muslim-Democrats).

Poe, whose campaign in the province was managed by Joson’s younger brother, outgoing Vice Gov. Eduardo Joson, garnered 476,220 votes against Mrs. Arroyo’s 160,438, or a difference of 315,782 votes.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson obtained 90,426 votes, followed by Eduardo Villanueva with 34,696 and Raul Roco with 20,710.

In the vice presidential race, Poe’s running mate, Sen. Loren Legarda, got 538,094 votes against Sen. Noli de Castro’s 202,858.

Roco’s running mate, Herminio Aquino, obtained 12,497 votes, and Rodolfo Pajo, 159.

In Nueva Ecija’s 27 towns and five cities, Mrs. Arroyo led Poe only in Quezon town, the hometown of the Josons. This, in spite of the fact that Poe visited the province only once, while Mrs. Arroyo went here at least 10 times since assuming the presidency in 2001.

In the only time that Poe went here last April 15, he was mobbed wherever he went.

Poe’s landslide victory in the province validated the prediction of Koalisyon ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino (KNP) campaign manager, Sen. Vicente Sotto III.

However, Poe only cornered 60 percent of the votes cast instead of the 75 percent projected by Sotto.

It was reported that many Joson supporters candidly told the governor that while they would vote for him, they could not do the same for Mrs. Arroyo.

Joson sounded apologetic for the failure of Mrs. Arroyo to top the presidential race in the province, saying he feels uneasy because he knew that all local candidates went for the President.

"This is what is troubling me. We did not join the rest of intelligent Filipinos who believe that President Arroyo is the best person to sit in government," he told provincial government officials during the flag-raising ceremony at the provincial capitol here last Monday.

Meanwhile, Joson won a third and last term, beating his ally-turned-bitter-rival, former Rep. Julita Lorenzo-Villareal, in a contest which political observers believe exposed the Josons’ vulnerability rather than showcased their strength in future elections in the province.

Joson, Balane’s titular head, garnered 394,870 votes against Villareal’s 335,613, or a difference of 59,257 votes.

The margin of victory is considered big in other provinces but not in Nueva Ecija where Tomas III posted six-digit vote leads in past elections.

In fact, his winning margin may have been bolstered by the endorsement of the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) which easily commands about 100,000 votes across the province.

Joson’s running mate, his younger brother and outgoing Quezon Mayor Mariano Cristino Joson, got 397,129 votes over Villareal’s running mate, Noeme Manlapas’ 257,694, or a difference of 139,435.

But even Mariano Cristino’s victory is considered slim by political observers since Manlapas was not deemed a serious threat, he being only an executive assistant of the Joson patriarch, former six-term Gov. Eduardo Sr.

Aside from the two Josons, other clan members emerged victorious: Tomas III’s eldest son Edward Thomas, who won a seat in the Sangguniang Panlalawigan in the third district; Mariano Cristino’s wife, re-electionist first district Rep. Josie Manuel-Joson, and their son Eduardo Basilio who ran unopposed in their hometown of Quezon.

Jose Lucius Pocholo Dizon, son-in-law of former National Food Authority (NFA) administrator and former governor Eduardo Nonato Joson, also won another term in Guimba town.