Guiani-Sayadi reelected mayor in Cotabato City

COTABATO CITY, Philippines — Two opponents failed to replace the incumbent mayor of Cotabato City, Frances Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi.

Sayadi was proclaimed winner in the mayoral race by the City Board of Canvassers around 7:54 p.m. on Tuesday after she garnered 34,753 votes in the recently concluded elections.

Guiani-Sayadi’s opponent Bai Sandra Sema, the three-term first district representative of Maguindanao, garnered 21,655 votes while Delson James Uytaranco, an independent candidate, got 100 votes.

Canvassing of votes for the local elections was declared finished at 7:32 p.m at the Regional Legislative Assembly Hall in Cotabato City.

Guiani-Sayadi’s running mate, Graham Nazer Dumama, also won the vice mayoral seat over opponent Abdullah Andang.

Of Cotabato City’s 114,083 registered voters, a total of 57,812 or only 50.67 percent voted for the midterm polls.

Mayor Sayadi was elected vice mayor in 2016 but later assumed the mayoralty post when the elected mayor, her brother Guiapal Guiani, died in September of that year.

She allied herself with Sara Duterte’s Hugpong ng Pagbabago. (Editor: Eden Estopace)