LP bets and allies dominate mayoral posts

CEBU Gov. Hilario Davide III said he was sad that Liberal Party (LP) standard bearer Mar Roxas trailed far behind presumptive president Rodrigo Duterte in Cebu in the May 9 polls but was also happy that LP candidates and those from allied political parties won most of the mayoral seats in the province.

“I am very happy that many of our allies won,” he said in a press conference yesterday.

Twenty-two out of 34 LP mayoral candidates in Cebu towns and cities, as well as two allied independent cities won in Monday’s elections. (see list of winners on page 4)

The governor said he was particularly pleased that LP bets were able to unseat incumbents from the Garcia-led One Cebu party, particularly in the towns of Dumanjug and Medellin.

Dumanjug Vice Mayor Efren Gica (LP), garnered 15,577 votes to defeat Mayor Nelson Garcia (One Cebu) who received 10,631 votes. In Medellin, Provincial Board Member Joven Mondigo Jr. (LP) received 14,895 votes while the son of Mayor Ricardo Ramirez, Ricardo IV, who received 11,237 votes.

But Davide said he was disheartened by the loss of his good friend, Daanbantayan Mayor Augusto Corro, to retired police general Vicente Loot (National Unity Party), who won by only seven votes against the reelectioninst mayor. Loot won with 20,412 votes, with only seven votes more than Corro’s 20,405 votes.

The governor also welcomed the victory of Tuburan Mayor Democrito Diamante against his challenger, Daphne Lagon. Diamante is the only LP-allied mayor in Cebu’s third district.

The LP bets did not win in the first district dominated by Gullas-led Alayon party but the Nationalista Party-Alayon winners had all backed LP standard bearer Mar Roxas and the tandem of Davide and Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale.

The Durano-led Barug Alang sa Kauswagan ug Demokrasya (Bakud) party in the fifth district also remained allied with Davide except in the towns of Liloan, Borbon, and Pilar where Christina Frasco, Noel Dotillos, Dodong Fracio Maratas. all from One Cebu, won.

Bakud backed and delivered votes for the Davide-Magpale tandem but supported the presidential bid of Senator Grace Poe.

This year, eight newly-elected mayors are from One Cebu, three ran as independent and 17 are from different local and national parties, including Bakud and Alayon.