Defensor, Banal top district derby in QC

The Quezon City Board of Canvassers (BOC) yesterday proclaimed Matias Defensor Jr. as the new congressman of the third district of Quezon City.

Defensor, running under the banner of the Liberal Party, obtained an overwhelming majority of votes over his rivals during the May 10 elections.

Also proclaimed were six winning councilors — Jorge Banal Jr. (64,590 votes), Franz Pumaren (61,948), Wencerom Lagumbay (59,577), Dante de Guzman (59,098), Julian Coseteng (57,092) and Diorella Sotto (56,831).

Defensor is the father of outgoing congresswoman of the district, Ma. Theresa, and former congressman and Sec. Michael Defensor of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council.

"This is a victory of truth and decency over lies and dirty politics," the elder Defensor said of his electoral triumph.

Banal Jr. is the eldest son of Council president Pro-Tempore Jorge Banal and Barangay St. Ignatius chairman Charminia Banal.

A former banker in the US and credit analyst in West Fargo Bank, L.A., Banal served as consultant to Belmonte starting July 2001.

He was QC Capitol Jaycees president in 2002 and a Jaycee senator, member of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines, Quezon City Council, and member of the Knights of Columbus, Christ the King Parish.

A management major from UST, he completed his masteral in Public Administration from UP Diliman in 2002. He also took MBA units on management and information systems at the University of San Francisco.