Cabinet bets suffer 'kiss of death'

SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga, Philippines – President Arroyo may have won by a landslide a congressional seat in Pampanga’s second district, but her former Cabinet members running for varied posts seem headed for defeat in the elections.

At least 10 former Cabinet members appear to be losing in the elections, according to reports.

Former presidential management staff head Hermogenes Esperon Jr. lost in his congressional bid for the sixth district of Pangasinan.

So did former justice secretary Agnes Devanadera in the congressional race for the first district of Quezon province.

Former deputy national security chief Avelino Razon Jr. and former environment secretary Lito Atienza lost in the mayoralty race in Manila to Mayor Alfredo Lim.

In Quezon City, Michael Defensor, Mrs. Aquino’s former chief of staff, was also defeated as a candidate for mayor.

Former energy secretary Angelo Reyes might not make it to the House of Representatives as his party-list 1-Utak is not likely to win the elections.

Former Cabinet secretary Silvestre Bello III is not also faring well in the senatorial race based on latest Comelec figures.

Former executive secretary Eduardo Ermita is an also ran for his old House seat in Batangas.

Former agriculture undersecretary Jocelyn “Jocjoc” Bolante apparently lost in his bid for governor of Capiz

Also apparently headed for defeat is former justice secretary Raul Gonzalez, who ran for mayor of Iloilo City

Set for proclamation

As of last night, the Commission on Elections was set to proclaim Mrs. Arroyo as the duly elected representative in Congress of Pampanga’s second district.

Temmie Lambino, Commission on Elections (Comelec) provincial supervisor, said he expected to officially proclaim Mrs. Arroyo as winner yesterday.

Official but still incomplete figures from the Comelec showed Mrs. Arroyo leading the congressional race by a wide margin as of yesterday afternoon.

Mrs. Arroyo garnered 137,410 votes as against Liberal Party candidate Adonis Simpao who had only 17,611 votes.

Mrs. Arroyo received a total of 105,329 votes from the towns of Guagua, Lubao, Sta. Rita and Sasmuan.

In Guagua, Mrs. Arroyo got 32,460 votes, while Filipinas Rosario Sampang was a distant second with 1,428 votes.

Simpao came in third with 789, while Feliciano Serrano got 459 votes.

In Lubao, Mrs. Arroyo garnered 48,133 votes; Sampang, 1,318 votes; Simpao, 2,214, and Serrano, 487.

In Sta. Rita, Mrs. Arroyo garnered 11,872; Sampang, 812; Simpao, 3,426; and Serrano 153.

In Sasmuan, Mrs. Arroyo had 12,864 votes; 472 for Sampang; 785 for Simpao; and 150 for Serrano.   

The second district is composed of the towns of Lubao —Mrs. Arroyo’s hometown --Guagua, Sasmuan, Sta. Rita and Porac.

The Comelec figures indicating a landslide win for Mrs. Arroyo did not include Porac, where problems of transmission of vote were reported.

Dato, Iggy leading in Camarines, Negros

Mrs. Arroyo’s brother-in-law Jose Ignacio or Iggy was leading in the congressional race in Negros Occidental’s fifth district, according to ABS-CBN News Channel.

On the other hand, Diosdado or Dato, Mrs. Arroyo’s youngest son is ahead in the new second district of Camarines Sur.

Her eldest son, Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo is the first nominee of Ang Galing Pinoy (AGP).

It is not clear if AGP is among the party-list organizations winning congressional seats.

Cabinet sad at Teodoro’s defeat

Many Cabinet members are sad at the defeat of Lakas-Kampi-CMD standard-bearer Gilbert Teodoro Jr. in Monday’s presidential elections, Malacañang said yesterday.

Deputy presidential spokesman Rogelio Peyuan said that it was only natural for a lot of the people in the administration, particularly in Malacañang to feel sad about Teodoro’s failed bid.

“We did our part and this thing can separate from, of course, how the administration candidate then presented himself,” he said.

“There are no apologies, no sorries because, as I said, in the first part of this conference that the people had participated, listened, watched to everything. And so, there goes the decision.”

On the other hand, deputy presidential spokesman Gary Olivar commended Teodoro for conceding to Aquino yesterday.

“(It was a) presidential thing for the loser to do,” he said.

Olivar said losing candidates should set the example for others by “throwing your support to the office of the presidency” and closing ranks on behalf of the national interest.

“We commend those candidates who are now showing this kind of unselfish and high-minded behavior,” he said.

Peyuan said it was “a very honorable act” for Teodoro to concede defeat as the pro-administration candidate and as a relative of Liberal Party presidential candidate Benigno Aquino III.

“That will be good for the Lakas Kampi party who should all be a part of the much needed genuine national reconciliation,” he said. — Ding Cervantes, Ric Sapnu, Jess Diaz, Teddy Molina, Marvin Sy