Neophyte beats ex-lawmaker in Palayan City mayoral race

PALAYAN CITY, Philippines – A neophyte politician has been proclaimed mayor-elect of this city, beating by a landslide a former three-term congressman on the comeback trail.

Adrianne Mae Cuevas of the Liberal Party garnered 11,529 votes against the 6,931 votes of former congressman Pacifico Fajardo of the Nationalist People’s Coalition-Bagong Lakas ng Nueva Ecija (NPC-Balane) – or a margin of 4,598.

In what city election officer Westly Rey del Fonso described as one of the most lopsided mayoral races in this city’s political history, Cuevas grabbed 65 percent of the votes in 19 barangays where the Fajardos used to be political kingpins.

However, Cuevas’ running mate, outgoing three-term Mayor Romeo Capinpin, lost to Florante Mercado in the vice mayoral race. Mercado (NPC-Balane), son of former three-term Makati vice mayor Nestor Mercado, amassed 10,375 votes against Capinpin’s 7,391 or a difference of 2,984.

Cuevas’ allies won six seats in the 10-man Sangguniang Panlungsod. They are Capinpin’s son Romaric who obtained 9,630 votes; Jesusa Fajardo (9,071), Abegail Bantegui (6,409), Rogelio Piadozo (6,126), Ernesto Lutap (6,116), and outgoing Vice Mayor Moises Carmona Jr. (5,374).

Mercado’s partymates who won were Ian Howell Guyud (7,251) and Rosalia Merez (6,828). Independent Petronio Garcia got 6,433 votes.

Fajardo once served as city mayor for three terms. In 1992, he became a congressman and won re-election in 1995 and 1998.