Michael Marcos Keon (2nd from right) is proclaimed on May 10 as Laoag City mayor. (Screengrab from PIA Ilocos Norte livestream)
LAOAG CITY, Ilocos Norte—It was a sweet victory for Michael Marcos Keon after he prevailed in the tight Laoag City mayoral race in Ilocos Norte.
The local Commission on Elections at about 2 a.m. on Tuesday, May 10, proclaimed Keon the winner.
It was a hairline victory for Keon, who led by 160 votes over ex-Mayor Laoag Chevylle Fariñas. Keon received 25,502 votes against Fariñas’ 25,342 votes.
In 2019, the two also faced off, with Fariñas being defeated by a margin of only 1,541 votes.
After his proclamation, Keon said he was “overwhelmed by all the support given to me… so many people stood with me.”
“Despite all the obstacles and such a long journey, I was able to prevail in the end,” said Keon.
The mayor-elect ran as an independent candidate after the Marcos clan dropped him dropped from their slate. Team Marcos backed another mayoral bet, incumbent Vice Mayor Vicentito “Toto” Lazo, who came in third place with 16,095 votes.
During his second term, Keon said he would “work to the best of my ability and fulfill the promises that I made.”
The Fariñases, who used to rule the city hall for three decades before a member of the Marcos family took over, secured the Laoag vice mayoral post. Carlos Fariñas was also proclaimed the winner in the second top local post, with 35,345 votes against his opponent, Team Marcos bet, and lawyer Ameurfina Respicio with 27,407 votes.