6 House members win as governors

MANILA, Philippines — At least six members of the House of Representatives appear to have won as governors in their provinces.

Based on unofficial results, former agriculture secretary Arthur Yap defeated former Cabinet secretary Leoncio Evasco Jr. for governor of Bohol by a slim margin.

Isabela Rep. Rodolfo Albano lll won the gubernatorial race by a landslide while Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone beat his former ally and incumbent governor Marcelo Picardal.

Dinagat Islands Rep. Kaka Bag-ao prevailed over a member of the Ecleo political clan.

Rep. Arthur Defensor Jr. was winning over House colleague Ferjenel Biron in the Iloilo gubernatorial race.     

Gwen Garcia appeared to have reclaimed the position of governor in Cebu.

Legarda, Chiz

In Antique, outgoing Sen. Loren Legarda was leading former governor Exequiel Javier in the fight for the province’s lone congressional seat.

Based on 96.6 percent of election returns as of 8:42 a.m. yesterday, Legarda obtained 193,255 votes while Javier got only 65,598.

Sen. Francis Escudero was proclaimed as the new governor of Sorsogon yesterday. He beat Vladimir Frivaldo, who got only 31,867 votes compared to his 303, 960 votes,.

In Pampanga, former congressman Mikey Arroyo will succeed his mother, Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as representative of the second district. Aurelio Gonzales Jr. and Juan Pablo Bondoc were reelected in the third and fourth districts, respectively.

Gonzales is among the candidates for speaker of the PDP-Laban in the incoming 18th Congress.

In Basilan, former Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao governor Mujiv Hataman won as the province’s lone representative.

Several former House members are also reclaiming their seats, including Pidi Barzaga of Dasmariñas City, Cavite; Isidro Ungab and Vincent Garcia of Davao City, Eleandro Madrona of Romblon, Martin Romualdez of Leyte and Rufus Rodriguez of Cagayan de Oro City.