Abra’s Luna clan crumbles in elections

TUGUEGARAO CITY, Philippines – Last Monday’s balloting has seen the crumbling of the Luna dynasty in Abra.

The family’s matriarch, former congresswoman Cecile Luna, failed to dismantle incumbent Gov. Eustaquio Bersamin who got 13,697 votes against her 4,627 votes.

Fugitive Mayor Ryan Luna of Bangued, the capital town, lost to his uncle Dominic Valera in the mayoral race. Luna got 10,926 votes as against Valera’s 12,814.

Valera’s running mate, Allan Seares, enjoyed 12,814 votes over his opponent Roderick Babida’s 4,407.

Seares, Luna’s cousin, was appointed acting mayor of Bangued town after Luna went into hiding to evade an arrest warrant for the 2007 killing of Brenda Crisologo, wife of Tineg town Mayor Edwin Crisologo.