MANILA, Philippines - Two women have defeated the Piñol brothers in the May 10 elections in North Cotabato.
Outgoing first district Rep. Emmylou Talino-Mendoza beat Vice Gov. Emmanuel Piñol by more than 37,000 votes. She received 236,966 votes against Piñol’s 199,332.
Piñol was governor for three terms from 1998 to 2007.
Outgoing Gov. Jesus Sacdalan won the congressional seat that Talino-Mendoza is vacating. He won over former congressman Anthony Dequina.
In the second district race, Piñol’s brother Bernardo Jr. lost in his bid for a second term to another woman, Nancy Catamco.
Catamco, a cable television system operator, received 119,294 votes against the incumbent’s 112,617.
Sacdalan and Catamco ran under the ticket of Talino-Mendoza, whose vice gubernatorial running mate, former second district congressman Gregorio Ipong, also won.
“The people of North Cotabato clearly want change,” the governor-elect said.