Makati still Binay country

MANILA, Philippines - Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay’s two children won by a landslide in the mayoral and congressional races in the city.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has proclaimed Jejomar Erwin “Junjun” Binay, Jr. and his sister, Mar-Len Abigail Binay, as mayor and Makati representative, respectively.

Junjun posted a 125,664 lead as against the 80,151 votes of his closest rival, Makati Vice Mayor Ernesto Mercado, based on the Comelec certificates of canvass (COCs).

Lawyer Erwin Genuino, son of Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation chairman Efraim Genuino, garnered 61,203 votes; former Makati lawmaker Agapito Aquino got 5,816; and Edmundo Tagalog received 253 votes.

Abigail won the congressional race in the city’s second district with 84,152 votes. Her rivals, Ernesto Aspillaga got 36,621 votes and John Montes had 13,857 votes.

In the vice mayoralty race, Nacionalista Party (NP) candidate Romulo Peña Jr. got 105,949, while Junjun’s running mate, Enrico “Rico” Puno, of PDP-Laban garnered 93,429 votes.

In third place was Genuino’s running mate, Jobelle Salvador, with 35,469 votes. Miguel Yabu Jr. got 23,600 and Manuel Ballelos Jr. had 1,507 votes.

In the congressional race in the first district, PDP-Laban’s Monique Lagdameo garnered 42,102 votes; NP’s Ma. Lourdes Locsin, 41,860; Oscar Ibay, 14,993; Robert Dean Barbers, 25,990 and Oswaldo Carbonell, 668 votes.  

Makati voters also voted overwhelmingly for the elder Binay, who garnered 179,375 votes against the 74,897 votes received by his closest rival, Manuel Roxas II. Loren Legarda got 7,504 votes; Edu Manzano, 2,566; and Bayani Fernando, 1,137.

In the presidential race, Benigno Aquino III got 125,333 votes; former President Joseph Estrada, 70,065; Gilbert Teodoro Jr. had 40,31 and NP’s Manuel Villar Jr. got 22,957 votes.