Negros Oriental has a new governor and vice governor, both incumbent local chief executives of two of the province’s largest cities, having won over their respective rivals in the May 9 elections. Bayawan City Mayor Henry Teves (Nationalist People’s Coalition) defeated erstwhile Governor Roel Degamo (Nacionalista Party) by 19,546 votes. Official results from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Negros Oriental showed Teves garnered 301,319 votes while Degamo had 281,773. Meanwhile, Guihulngan City Mayor Guido Reyes (Nacionalista Party) edged out incumbent Board Member Erwin Macias by 1,254 votes in the tightly-contested race for vice governor. Macias was leading throughout the
The Puerto Princesa-based Western Command (Wescom) on Wednesday thanked the special task forces created to ensure peace and orderly May 9 elections in Palawan. “With profound gratitude, I wish to thank the officers and enlisted personnel of Joint Task Force Peacock, Joint Task Force-Malampaya, Tactical Operations Wing-West, and Naval Forces-West for ensuring an atmosphere of peace and sobriety at the forefront of the electoral process as well as for allowing every Palaweño to exercise their Right to Suffrage. Bravo Zulu, Wescom Frontliners,” Wescom commander Vice Admiral Alberto Carlos said in a statement to reporters. Carlos said the mission to secure
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Wednesday reported that 88 percent out of 84,358 individuals who participated in the local absentee voting (LAV) in this year’s national and local elections is so far the highest recorded turnout of voters. According to Comelec acting spokesperson lawyer John Rex Laudiangco, a total of 74,852 government and private employees have participated in the three-day voting period held last month. “This is the highest turnout of voters for LAV. The approved number is 84,358 local absentee voters and those who voted totaling to 74,852 for a turnout of 88 percent,” he said in a
A member of one of the powerful clans in Samar has announced his retirement from politics after his defeat in the congressional race. Samar (1st District) Rep. Edgar Mary Sarmiento said on Wednesday the chapter of his political life is closed and he’s looking forward to living a quiet life. “The people have spoken, and we humbly accept the results of the election. Life goes on. I look forward to living a quiet life as a grandfather, father and returning to private life,” said Sarmiento in a Facebook post. Sarmiento who has been Samar congressman since 2016 has garnered 92,561
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) en banc, sitting as the National Board of Canvassers (NBOC), officially began on Tuesday the canvassing of the Certificates of Canvass (COCs) for senators and party-list groups in the just-concluded May 9 polls. The first to be canvassed was the COC from Abra, followed by Malabon and Benguet. Also canvassed were the COCs from Kalinga, Apayao, Mountain Province, and Ifugao. The NBOC said almost all of the COCs have been electronically transmitted except for Region 9 (Zamboanga Peninsula) and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). On Monday, the NBOC officially convened but was
The Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) Boards of canvassers (BOCs) in Northern Mindanao Region have proclaimed all local winners in the May 9 elections. In this city, incumbent first district Rep. Rolando “Klarex” Uy was declared mayor-elect late Tuesday evening. He will succeed outgoing Mayor Oscar Moreno on June 30. Lawyer Rowell Valledor, city election officer, said Uy garnered 160,312 votes to prevail over former Phividec Industrial Authority Administrator Jose Gabriel “Pompee” La Viña who obtained 128,071 votes. Uy thanked supporters for giving him a chance to lead the city and vowed to provide the “best quality of public service” for
