Imelda clan retains clout in Tacloban

TACLOBAN CITY – The clan of former First Lady Imelda Romualdez-Marcos still weaves magic in local politics here with the election of her nephew Alfred Romualdez as mayor of this Visayan city.

Romualdez, son of outgoing Tacloban Mayor Alfredo “Bejo” Romualdez, defeated his rival Dan Stephen Palami. The young Romualdez garnered 46,943 votes while Palami got 24,107 votes, for a difference of 22,802 votes.

The members of the city’s Board of Canvassers, chaired by acting elections officer Ma. Corazon Montallana, declared Romualdez as the winner yesterday afternoon.

“We realized that Taclobanons still have confidence in the Romualdez clan and we are happy for that. We will serve Leyteños even more,” Alfred said.

He also expressed gratitude to the people for electing him into office to succeed his father, who was mayor for the past nine years.

“The elections are over. Let us move on, Tacloban has so many problems that we need to solve,” the newly elected mayor said.

The young mayor’s wife, former actress Cristina Gonzales-Romualdez, topped the elections for councilor.

She vowed to push her legislative agenda that would promote the welfare of women and children.

Incumbent Councilor Arvin Antoni, the vice mayoral bet of Palami, won as vice mayor by a mere 307 votes. Antoni garnered 31,632 votes to defeat incumbent Vice Mayor Edwin Chua who got 31,325.

Mrs. Romualdez was the topnotcher in the 10-seat city council after she got 48,732 votes. Incumbent Councilor Jerry Yaokasin, son of the city administrator Jimmy Yaokasin, placed second.

Nine candidates for councilor of Romualdez’s team won, with only re-electionist Councilor Robert Andrade, who ran under Palami’s ticket, winning another term.

The other winning councilors are: Wilson Uy, Nofredo Lagonoy, Bianco Mate, Robert Hernandez, Rufino Pacanan, Cristita Pedrosa and Dionisio Coloma Jr.

In nearby Eastern Samar, re-electionist Gov. Ben Evardone won by a landslide with a margin of almost 100,000 votes.

Evardone, who is also the media bureau director of the administration’s Team Unity, was proclaimed by the Commission on Elections after he got 122,467 votes over the United Opposition’s Camilo Camenforte, who got 23,011.

Leander Geli, running mate of Evardone, won as vice governor against Rodolfo Anastarias.

In the race for the lone congressional district of the province, Teodolo Coquilla defeated Elda Libanan.

Meanwhile in Tarlac, the younger brother of Education Secretary Jesli Lapus won as congressman of the third district of Tarlac.

Jecsi Lapus beat former Tarlac lawmaker Hermie Aquino. Jecsi was his brother’s special assistant when the education secretary was then congressman of Tarlac’s third district.

In Cagayan, the camp of re-electionist Gov. Edgar Lara claimed to maintain a lead of over 4,000 votes over his opponent Alvaro Antonio, based on the partial tally of the provincial Board of Canvassers.

Lara’s group said they have completed the tallying of the certificates of canvass of 21 towns and the results showed the governor’s lead. The 3,000 votes in Tuao town are still being questioned for vote-padding.

Governor Lara appealed to his political rivals not to organize protest actions that will further delay the canvassing.

Meanwhile, members of the provincial board of canvassers in Agusan del Norte proclaimed former executive secretary Edelmiro Amante as congressman of the province’s second district. Amante was a Cabinet member during the Ramos administration.

Amante’s son and re-electionist Gov. Erlpe John Amante and Vice Gov. Enrico Raymundo Corvera were also proclaimed winners. - With Delon Porcalla, Ben Serrano