Ebdane, allies dominate local polls in Zambales

Governor-elect Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. of Zambales province. | Contributed

SAN ANTONIO, Zambales— Governor-elect Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. was proclaimed on Tuesday (May 10) after a landslide victory over a member of another political clan.

Ebdane, who ran under the Sulong Zambales Party, beat rival and three-term Congresswoman Cheryl Deloso-Montalla of the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) for the province’s top post.

The former secretary of National Defense obtained 199,874 votes, while Montalla, daughter of former governor Amor Deloso, got 133,479 votes.

Most of Ebdane’s allies also emerged as winners in key positions.

His running mate, Jaq Khonghun, a political newbie, won the vice gubernatorial race, defeating independent candidate and former vice governor Ramon Lacbain.

Former Mayor Bing Maniquiz of Botolan town, another ally of Ebdane, also won in the congressional race for the province’s first district. She defeated the older Deloso.

In the province’s first district, Jay Khonghun, who was Ebdane’s running mate in 2019, also won as congressman, edging out Mitos Magsaysay, former representative of the first district.

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JPV