Gov Salceda, Representatives Lagman, Bichara, Gonzalez top Albay polls

LEGAZPI CITY—Running unopposed, Gov. Joey Salceda (Liberal Party) still garnered a whooping 271,717 votes from the 371,690 who actually voted in Albay, according to election results in Albay posted at the website of the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

Congressmen seeking reelection also dominated the congressional races in the province, the Comelec official count showed.

In the first congressional district of the province, reelectionist Rep. Edcel Lagman (LP) topped the race with 38,901 votes, representing 45.23 percent of the votes cast. Ricky Ziga (UNA) got 37,596 while Ted Contacto (PDP-Laban) got 9,501 votes.

In the second district, reelectionist Al Francis Bichara (Nationalista Party) got 116,733 votes against opponent Sultan Wally Magdato, an independent, who got 11,718 votes.

In the third district, Rep. Fernando Gonzalez (LP) garnered 71,792 or 70.98 percent of the votes cast against opponent Dante Arandia (independent), who got 29,349 votes.