Polls solidify LP hold in most of Visayas

ILOILO election supervisor Jessie Suarez (center) proclaims as winners in the May 13 elections reelectionist Iloilo Gov. Arthur Defensor (right) and Vice Governor-elect Raul Tupas (left). CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Some political families in the Visayas lost in the May 13 elections while others maintained or strengthened their hold on power.

But the biggest winner is the administration party, which has solidified its grip in most provinces in the Visayas.

The Liberal Party (LP) now has 11 of 16 governors in Bohol, Cebu, Siquijor, Leyte, Eastern Samar, Biliran, Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Iloilo and Guimaras.

It didn’t win in Negros Oriental, Negros Occidental, Northern Samar, Samar and Southern Leyte.

Central Visayas

Cebu used to be dominated by One Cebu, a local party headed by the Garcias which has allied with United Nationalist Alliance (UNA).

UNA officials referred to Cebu as the bailiwick of the opposition because One Cebu had the most mayors and congressmen under Gwendolyn Garcia as governor prior to her suspension on Dec. 19 for grave abuse of authority.

But the last elections changed that.

Three Garcia members lost. Only Gwendolyn and brother Nelson survived. She won in the third district congressional race while he, in the Dumanjug mayoral race.

Rep. Pablo John Garcia, Gwendolyn’s brother, lost by more than 160,000 votes to  the LP’s Hilario Davide III.

VICE GOVERNOR-ELECT acting Gov. Agnes Magpale and Governor-elect Hilario Davide III celebrate after they were proclaimed winners in the May 13 elections. TONEE DESPOJO/CDN

Her father, Rep. Pablo Garcia, lost his reelection bid in the second district to a former ally, Wilfredo Caminero of  the LP. Another brother, Vice Mayor Marlon Garcia of Barili, lost in the town’s mayoral race to reelectionist Teresito Marinas, also of the LP.

The LP and One Cebu now have the same number of mayors in a province with 53 towns and cities, including highly urbanized ones—Cebu, Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu.

The LP and One Cebu have 25 mayors each. Two others are independent and another is with Lakas-NUCD.

The LP’s candidate in Cebu City, Rep. Tomas Osmeña, lost to incumbent Mayor Mike Rama, an LP member who later joined UNA after he was left out in favor of Osmeña.

Osmeña is never an LP member although he campaigned for President Aquino in 2010, and his local party, Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan, has an alliance with the LP.

Five legislators are now allied with the LP while three are with One Cebu. Only one is with Lakas-NUCD.

Bohol, Siquijor

The LP has also solidified its dominance in Bohol and Siquijor.

Bohol Gov. Edgar Chatto and Vice Gov. Concepcion Lim  of the LP were reelected.

Of Bohol’s 47 towns and one city, 29 elected mayors are LP members while eight are with UNA. Five are with the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), two with Nacionalista Party (NP), and one each with  Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), Aksyon Demokratiko, Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino  and  National Unity Party (NUP).

With the LP’s dominance in the province, provincial administrator Alfonso Damalerio II said nothing much would change in Bohol’s political landscape except alliances.

Tagbilaran Mayor-elect Baba Yap is with NUP but can’t be considered as opposition since he campaigned for Team PNoy’s senatorial candidates.

The LP, however, has only one congressman in Bohol since the two others are with NPC.

In Siquijor, a tide of change swept the province following the victory of the LP in the top provincial and municipal races.

With political patriarch Rep. Orlando Fua Sr. bowing out of the political scene, the Fua dynasty is cracking at the seams, with the defeat of two of his three sons who are occupying powerful positions.

Gov. Orlando Fua Jr. ran to replace his father’s seat in the House but lost to Dr. Jay Pernes, who died of a heart attack on the eve of the elections.

Pernes was substituted by his wife Anne, also a doctor.

Provincial Board Member Orville Fua (Lakas-NUCD), lost to LP candidate Jecoy Villa in the gubernatorial race.

Lazi Mayor Orpheus Fua, meanwhile, survived his reelection bid. Orlando III, son of Governor Fua, sits at the provincial board as SK federation president.

The Fuas, opposition members during the reign of the dead dictator Ferdinand Marcos, were swept to power by the 1986 Edsa Revolution.

The LP also captured the top posts in three of Siquijor’s six towns: Larena, Enrique Villanueva and the capital town Siquijor. The mayors in three other towns—San Juan, Lazi and Maria—are with Lakas-NUCD.

In Negros Oriental, Gov. Roel Degamo of PDP-Laban won in the gubernatorial race against Josy Sy-Limkaichong (LP) and Gary Teves (NPC).

Eastern Visayas

Three LP gubernatorial candidates made it in Eastern Visayas—Leopoldo Dominico Petilla of Leyte, Conrado Nicart Jr. of Eastern Samar and Gerardo Espina Jr. of Biliran.

Three others who defeated their LP rivals belong to other parties.

Samar Gov. Sharee Ann Tan of NPC defeated Rosa Jessica Uy-Delgado. Roger Mercado of Southern Leyte won against businessman Robert Castañares. Northern Samar Gov. Paul Daza lost his reelection bid to Jose Ong. Both Mercado and Ong are with NUP.

Petilla is the younger brother of former governor and now Energy Secretary Carlos Jericho Petilla whose family has been dominating Leyte for two decades now. He ran unopposed.

Mercado, an outgoing congressman of Southern Leyte, will switch places with his brother, Gov. Damian Mercado.

Ong is former mayor of Laoang town, Northern Samar, and a brother of reelected Rep. Emil Ong.

Tan’s mother, Rep. Milagrosa Tan of Northern Samar’s second district and brother, Vice Gov. Stephen James Tan, won their reelection bids.

Espina’s family has ruled Biliran for decades. His elder brother, Rogelio, has been reelected congressman. Their father is the late Gerardo Espina, who served as congressman and mayor of Kawayan town, before he died early this year.

Nicart was mayor of San Policarpo town before he ran for governor in 2010.

Western Visayas

The elected governors of Aklan, Antique, Capiz and Iloilo and Guimaras are from the LP. So are four of five vice governors and eight of 11 congressmen.

The ruling party won the mayoral race in 59 of 100 towns and cities in Panay and Guimaras. Several other winners are not LP members but administration allies.

In Iloilo City, Rep. Jerry Treñas, Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog and Vice Mayor Jose Espinosa III were reelected.

Iloilo Rep. Ferjenel Biron of UNA failed to unseat reelectionist Iloilo Gov. Arthur Defensor (LP), who was backed by the alliance of the Garin and Tupas families, the traditional political families of Iloilo.

His younger brother, Board Member Hernan Biron Jr., won by a small margin against former Iloilo Gov. Niel Tupas Sr. in the fourth congressional race.

His father, Hernan Biron, was reelected mayor of Barotac Nuevo town.

Four of Tupas’ children were reelected: Niel Jr. (fifth district), Niel III (mayor of Barotac Viejo), Nielo (board member) and Nielex (Iloilo City councilor).

Another Tupas son, Raul, won as vice governor against his estranged cousin Rolex Suplico (UNA).

Three members of the Garin family were elected.

Vice Gov. Oscar Garin Jr. won as first district representative to replace his wife, outgoing Rep. Janette Garin.

San Joaquin town Mayor Ninfa Garin, Oscar’s mother, won a seat in the provincial board. A sister, Mayor Christine Garin of Guimbal town, was reelected.

Another sister, Aambis-Owa  Rep. Sharon Garin, will likely retain her post.

Capiz

In Capiz, home province of top LP official Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, LP candidates won.

Gov. Victor Tanco, Vice Gov. Esteban Evan Contreras II and first district Rep. Antonio del Rosario defeated their opponents.

Roxas City Mayor Angel Alan Celino won in a close fight and return bout against former mayor Vicente Bermejo of NUP.

But the LP failed to take control of the congressional seat in the second district which was won by former Rep. Fredenil Castro of  NUP, which is allied with UNA.

In Antique, a coalition called “Bag-ong Antique,” which is allied with PDP-Laban and UNA, failed to unseat Gov. Exequiel Javier and his son, Rep. Paolo Everardo Javier of the LP.

Aklan Rep. Florencio Miraflores of the LP was elected governor while Ang Kasangga  Rep. Teodorico Haresco Jr., who ran as independent but allied with Miraflores and reelected Vice Gov. Gabrielle Calizo-Quimpo of NP, won in the congressional race for Aklan’s lone district.

In Guimaras, LP candidates led by reelected Rep. JC Rahman Nava won. Four of five elected mayors in Guimaras are with the LP.

Buenavista Mayor Samuel Gumarin (LP) defeated the congressman’s younger brother Gov. Felipe Nava (UNA) in the gubernatorial race.

Reports from Jhunnex Napallacan, Alex V. Pal, Joey A. Gabieta, Nestor P. Burgos Jr. and Carla P. Gomez, Inquirer Visayas