Alan Peter Cayetano proclaimed new Taguig congressman

MANILA, Philippines — Former Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano captured a seat at the lower house after winning as representative of Taguig City 1st district, with his political clan maintaining a grip on power in one of the capital’s business centers.

Cayetano was proclaimed winner early Wednesday after garnering 91,993 votes, beating his rival Alan Cerafica's 30,000 votes.

Cayetano’s wife, erstwhile Mayor Lani Cayetano, won as representative of District 2.

Meanwhile, his brother and film director Lino Cayetano was proclaimed mayor in Taguig City.

Cayetano's sister Pia is also a candidate for senator. She is currently in fourth place with 19,293,174 votes as of 6:26 a.m. on Wednesday.

Different homes, same House

The Cayetano couple's bid for a seat at the House of Representatives was previously beset by a petition filed by a Taguig electorate seeking to cancel their certificates of candidacy for listing different addresses when "the usual place of abode of the husband and wife, as jointly fixed by them, is their one legal residence for the purpose of running for public office."

A few days before the midterm polls, Comelec denied the plea, saying the petitioner failed to prove that Cayetano committed any “material misrepresentation” concerning the residency that he declared in his COC.

The 1987 Constitution declares "the State shall guarantee equal access to opportunities for public service, and prohibit political dynasties as may be defined by law." Congress, which has historically been dominated by political families, has so far failed to pass a law to enable that prohibition. — Ian Nicolas Cigaral