Chavit son emerges winner in Ilocos Sur race – Namfrel parallel count

MANILA, Philippines – Vigan City Vice Mayor Ryan Luis Singson won Saturday’s special elections for the 1st district congressional seat of Ilocos Sur, according to the parallel count of the National Citizen’s Movement for Free Elections.

The Namfrel main office in Manila issued at around 1 p.m. Sunday the final tally of its Ilocos Sur chapter showing Singson garnering 69,982 votes compared to the 30,287 obtained by his main rival, lawyer Beltran Baterina.

Namfrel’s final tally was based on 571 out of 577 election returns collected by Namfrel poll watchers. Of the 161,975 total registered voters, only 100,269 cast their ballots on Saturday.

The Commission on Elections board of canvassers has yet to come up with its final tally. The polls were conducted manually unlike the May 2010 voting, which was automated.

Singson replaces his brother Ronald, who quit last March after being convicted of drug trafficking in Hong Kong. Both are sons of incumbent Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis “Chavit” Singson.

The first district is composed of Vigan and the municipalities of Cabugao, Magsingal, San Juan, Sta. Catalina, Sto. Domingo, Sinait, Bantay, Caoayan, San Vicente and San Ildefonso.