Velascos dominate Marinduque; Reyeses’ era for island province ends

BOAC, Marinduque — Former Associate Justice Presbitero Velasco Jr. was proclaimed governor of Marinduque province while his son, Lord Allan Jay, was re-elected as its lone district representative in a landslide victory for the father and son, who both ran under the administration’s Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan.

The former justice led by 32,179 votes against closest rival and independent candidate Rey Salvacion. Lord Allan Jay garnered 95,067 votes against Harold Lim of the United Nationalist Alliance who got 5,488 votes.

Withdrawal

A third candidate for governor was Violet Reyes, a daughter of the late governor and Reyes clan matriarch, Carmencita “Nanay” Reyes.

Sources in Marinduque, however, said Violet withdrew, although not formally, days ahead of the election.

She finished with 5,015 votes.

End of era

Marinduque sees the end of an era under the new leadership of the Velascos.

Carmencita, who led Marinduque for 31 years, switching positions as governor or congressman, withdrew her candidacy for Congress in November 2018.

She died in January at the age of 87 due to a ruptured abdominal aneurysm.

The Velascos are known supporters of President Duterte, with Lord Allan Jay being touted to be the next House Speaker.

In 2013, Lord Allan Jay filed a petition against Regina Reyes, also a daughter of Carmencita, questioning her citizenship and eligibility as Marinduque congressman.

The camp of the Reyeses then accused the Velascos of using the justice’s position to turn the court rulings in their favor.