Along Malapitan proclaimed as new Caloocan mayor; Erice concedes

MANILA, Philippines — Caloocan First District Rep. Dale “Along” Malapitan has been proclaimed as the mayor-elect of Caloocan City on Tuesday, a day after the May 9 elections.

This, after Malapitan garnered 313,986 votes, edging chief contender Caloocan Second District Rep. Egay Erice’s 241,514 votes, accounting for 99.71 percent of the Commission on Elections’s partial and unofficial election returns as of Tuesday, 12:02 am.

Dale will assume the mayoralty post currently occupied by his father, Oscar “Oca” Malapitan, who is the incumbent local chief executive in Caloocan since 2013.

The younger Malapitan said his victory was “the victory of ‘Batang Kankaloo’ (Caloocan people).”

“The campaign is over, the elections are over, we should begin working for our people. It is now time for unity even if we have different political colors,” Malapitan said in a statement on Tuesday.

Aside from Dale, his running mate Karina Te and the senior Malapitan was proclaimed as vice mayor and the first representative of District 1.

Erice, meanwhile, conceded to the victory of his contender.

“Today, I vow to the will of the people of Caloocan and sincerely wish our new mayor, Congressman Along Malapitan to do his best for our beloved city,” he said in a statement on Tuesday.

He also enjoined the people to move forward and “heal the wounds of the electoral combat.”

“Losing is not a failure but a learning experience,” he added.

READ: Caloocan Mayor Malapitan now negative for COVID-19

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