Clans dominate Cagayan, Isabela elections

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines — Eleven towns in Cagayan elected husband and wife teams, siblings as well as father and son tandems as mayors and vice mayors.

Among the couples proclaimed by the municipal board of canvassers are Washington Taguinod and his wife Marilyn as mayor and vice mayor, respectively, of Peñablanca town; Ferdie Trinidad as mayor and his wife Judith as vice mayor of Iguig, and Vincent Unite as mayor and his wife Violeta as vice mayor of Ballesteros.

Jennalyn Carag and her husband Meynard were reelected as mayor and vice mayor, respectively, of Solana. Lal-lo Vice Mayor Olive Pascual was reelected while her husband Florante won as mayor.

Mayor Harry Florida and his wife Yvonne, the incumbent vice mayor, ran unopposed.

In Abulug, Mayor Jeff Vargas will switch posts with his father Vice Mayor Manny Vargas.

Vice Mayor Joel Ruma of Rizal will also take over the post of his wife Mayor Brenda Ruma, who slid down as vice mayor. Sto. Niño Mayor Vince Pagurayan was reelected with his son AV as vice mayor.

Mayor Lloyd Antiporda of Buguey and his brother Licerio, the incumbent vice mayor as well as Mayor Francisco Mamba of Tuao and his brother William, the incumbent vice mayor, will also switch posts.

The Mambas are brothers of the incumbent governor Manuel, who was reelected for a third term.

Dys win big

In Isabela, Vice Gov. Faustino Dy III ran unopposed for another term while his sons Faustino V and Francis Faustino were elected as sixth district representative and mayor of Echague town, respectively.

The vice governor’s nephew, Councilor Ceasar Jaycee Dy, won as mayor of Cauayan City. His two other nephews, Rep. Ian Paul Dy and Rep. Michael Faustino Dy, were proclaimed representatives of the third and fifth district of the province, respectively.

The vice governor’s brothers, Victor and Faustino IV, won seats in the provincial board. Their other brother, Faustino Dondon, won as mayor of San Manuel.

Quirino Gov. Dakila Cua was given a fresh mandate. His wife Midy was elected congresswoman, replacing her father-in-law Rep. Junie Cua.

In Pangasinan, Councilor Dickerson Villar, the fifth generation of the political clan who held Sto. Tomas town in the past 70 years, was elected mayor.

Villar will succeed his father, Timoteo III, who is on his third term and was elected vice mayor.

Jailed Negros town bets reelected

Meanwhile, being in jail was not a hindrance to the reelection bid of Vice Mayor Ian Villaflor and Councilor Vincent Garcia of Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental.

Villaflor and Garcia along with Councilors Jimmiedon Plaza and Morito Flores were tagged in the murder of Councilor Jolomar Hilario in the 2019 elections.

However, Plaza and Flores lost in their reelection bid.

In North Cotabato, Muslim leaders are confident of more peace and development projects under a new governor who supported the ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law.

North Cotabato Vice Gov. Emmylou Taliño-Mendoza defeated Gov. Nancy Catamco.

Mendoza’s daughter Samantha Santos was elected representative of the third congressional district of North Cotabato. – Gilbert Bayoran, John Unson, Eva Visperas