Noy’s ex-girlfriend again loses bid to reclaim Ecija council seat

TALAVERA, Nueva Ecija, Philippines  â€“ For the second time in six years, a former girlfriend of President Aquino lost her bid to reclaim a spot in this town’s eight-man municipal council.

Former councilor Barbara Milano, Annabelle Ramos in real life, landed in the 13th spot with 14,079 votes, said municipal election officer Leonardo Navarro.

Milano, a former actress, ran under Aquino’s Liberal Party whose standard-bearer for mayor and vice mayor – Francis Vincent de Leon and Manolito Fausto, respectively – lost to Nerivi Santos-Martinez and her running mate Anselmo Rodiel III of the Nationalist People’s Coalition-Bagong Lakas ng Nueva Ecija (NPC-Balane). None of the candidates for councilor under the LP slate won.

Those who made it to the council were Ryan Villanueva, Amador Reyes, Angelina Soleta, Rene Baldedara, Eddie Zamora, Andrei Bigcas and Loren Balmater, all of NPC-Balane, and independent candidate Edgardo Sebastian, a former vice mayor.

Milano reportedly went steady with Aquino in 2000 but they broke up in mid-2001.

Another former girlfriend of Aquino, Shalani Soledad-Romulo, lost in the congressional race in Valenzuela City.

Milano’s loss in the recent polls was in stark contrast to 2004 when she ended up number one in the municipal council race, obtaining 15,000 votes, a full 1,000 votes ahead of the second placer. She was then allied with Balane, the political party of the Josons.        

Her 2004 win was made impressive since she was the only Balane candidate to land a seat in the municipal council.

Milano sought re-election in 2007 under the Lakas-CMD but did not make it, ending up at ninth place, with 15,819 votes, a mere 530 votes behind the eight placer, David Macapagal, a partymate. She did not run for any elective post in 2010.

A resident, who requested anonymity, said she was puzzled why Milano could not make it again. “She’s excellent. She really works hard,” she said.

But Santos-Martinez’s father, outgoing three-term Mayor Nerito, blamed Milano’s political dilemma to her having switched parties.

“It’s the biggest mistake she has done politically and it’s a costly mistake,” he said.