It’s lucky 13 for mayor

CALAUAN, Laguna — Unlucky for some, lucky for others.

For re-electionist Mayor Buenafrido Berris of this highly agricultural town, the number "13" may well be his lucky number.

The reason: Berris sailed to a new term by a margin of only 13 votes over his lone challenger, Vice Mayor Gemenegildo Ilagan, in the May 10 polls.

Berris, incidentally, was also proclaimed winner on May 13 even while Ilagan’s supporters staged a peaceful rally at the town plaza.

It was Berris who ended the political reign of former mayor Antonio Sanchez in this town.

He trounced former mayor Editha Sanchez, wife of the convicted former official, in the 2001 elections.

During his 13-year stranglehold of this Laguna town, Antonio Sanchez bragged that the number "7" was his lucky number, with his license plate bearing the numbers "777."

Sanchez was convicted for the 1991 rape-slaying of University of the Philippines-Los Baños student Eileen Sarmenta and the killing of her fellow student, Allan Gomez. He was meted seven life terms.

But Berris believe that it was just "incidental" that the number "13" cropped up in the "tight fight against my opponent."

Ilagan’s running mate, Jun Joseph Brion, who Ilagan beat in the 2001 vice mayoral race, won this time, garnering 6,807 votes over his rival Jaime Goyeno’s 5,025.