Sanchez clan’s nearly half-century reign in Calauan ends

CALAUAN, Laguna — After close to a half-century, the political reign of the Sanchez clan here is over.

For the first time since 1952, the mayoral post of this agricultural town will change hands on June 30 when businessman George Berris takes his oath of office as the new mayor.

Berris, 48, was proclaimed mayor-elect after he garnered 9,206 votes, or a margin of 3,000 votes over his lone rival, incumbent Mayor Editha Sanchez, wife of convicted rapist former mayor Antonio Sanchez. She was gunning for a third term.

Editha succeeded her husband when she topped the 1995 and 1998 mayoral elections. Antonio, in turn, inherited the mayorship from his father, Juan Brion, who reigned as Calauan mayor from 1952 to 1976.

The Sanchezes were confident that their political dynasty would remain, claiming that the townsfolk recognized what they had done to propel the town’s economy.

Berris, however, said that the Calauan folk "wanted changes so as to bring this small town at the center stage of progress, not of criminal notoriety."

This town hogged the headlines in connection with the killing of Allan Gomez and the murder-rape of Aileen Sarmienta, both University of the Philippines-Los Baños students.

Antonio Sanchez, who reigned as Calauan mayor from 1976 to 1994, was sentenced to seven life terms. He is jailed at the National Penitentiary in Muntinlupa City.

Meanwhile, the neighboring town of Lumban paints a different picture as Mayor Reynato "Tato" Macalalag was re-elected to serve his third term in office.

Macalalag garnered 6,133 votes or a margin of 1,173 over lone rival Freddie Paraiso, who got 4,960 votes in the official and final tabulation of the Commission on Elections.

Macalalag was re-elected mayor in the 1998 elections despite being detained at Camp Crame in Quezon City in connection with the 1995 killing of barangay tanod Alberto Quiatzon.

Lumban gained notoriety because of the conflict between the Manambit and Samonte-Ablao clans in the early 1970s and late 1980s. Macalalag was then a mere accountant and treasurer.

In 1995, Macalalag became mayor when he edged out Sancho de Ramos. But after serving five months in office, he was arrested for the killings of Quitzon and lawyer Clarence Agarao.

He was released from detention on Sept. 22 last year, after behind bars for exactly four years, four months and 15 days.