LP bet wins Negros Occidental special poll

MANILA, Philippines - An administration candidate has taken over the congressional seat vacated by the late brother-in-law of former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) yesterday reported that Liberal Party candidate Alejandro Mirasol has been proclaimed as the new representative of the fifth district of Negros Occidental.

Comelec Commissioner Armando Velasco said Mirasol, mayor of Binalbagan town, was proclaimed at around 6:45 a.m. yesterday.

Velasco said Mirasol was proclaimed winner in the special election after garnering a total of 81,982 votes as against the 68,879 votes of his closest rival, provincial board member Emilio Yulo III, who is incidentally Mirasol’s nephew. Yulo belongs to the Nacionalista Party.

The Comelec conducted the special election to fill the seat vacated by Ignacio “Iggy” Arroyo who died in London last January due to a liver ailment.

Velasco said the voter turnout in the special poll was 73.41 percent.

He said the town of Binalbagan gave Mirasol the decisive votes that enabled him to top the election.

“Binalbagan was the savior bailiwick of Mirasol with 18,821 votes against Yulo with 3,666,” he said.

Mirasol will serve as congressman of the fifth district of Negros Occidental until the May 2013 midterm polls.