Floirendo, Del Rosario face dim prospects in Davao del Norte
Rep. Antonio Floirendo Jr. (File photo by GERMELINA LACORTE/Inquirer Mindanao
TAGUM CITY, Philippines — History is unfolding in Davao del Norte with two of the most powerful clans that lorded over the province’s two legislative districts for years now appearing to be headed for defeat, according to the latest partial and unofficial vote tally of the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV).
As of 4:20 a.m. on Tuesday, Antonio Floirendo, who ran under the Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HnP), got 89,973 votes, while his rival from PDP-Laban outgoing Davao del Norte Vice Governor Aldu Dujali received 122,516 votes in the congressional race in the province’s second district.
Outgoing Davao del Norte Governor Anthony Del Rosario, who is gunning for the congressional seat in the province’s 1st District under HnP, got 67,791 votes against former House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, who is seeking reelection under the Partido ng Demokratikong Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) and who leads with 163,150 votes.
The figures released by PPCRV reflected 97.71 percent of election returns (727 of 744 clustered precincts) transmitted to the Commission on Election (Comelec) and the transparency server that is accessible to PPCRV.
Floirendo and Alvarez have been locked in a bitter fight for supremacy in Davao del Norte where each camp is accusing the other of election violations and claiming victory ahead of the elections.
Floirendo was so confident of his victory that he announced he would gun for the House speakership once back in Congress.
Apart from Floirendo and Del Rosario, HnP mayoral bets in the cities of Panabo and Tagum and several town’s in the province were also defeated by rivals under PDP-Laban.
In Panabo City’s mayoralty race, Joe Relampagos of PDP-Laban received 41,452 votes while his HnP rival James Gamao got 33,881 votes.
In Tagum City, PDP-Laban’s Allan Rellon, who is seeking another term, got 91,368 votes, way ahead of his HnP rival Geterito Gementiza who got 20, 889 votes. (Editor: Cenon B. Bibe Jr.)
