Thursday, May 17, 2007
Dutertes assured of victory
By Nelson C. Bagaforo
DAVAO City's executive and legislative departments will soon be manned by the Dutertes, as both are assured of their respective victories in Monday's midterm elections.
The father-daughter tandem of reelectionist Davao City Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte and Sara Duterte were way ahead of their rivals in the mayoralty and vice mayoralty race in the city.
Pinoy Votes: Sun.Star Election 2007 Coverage
Based on partial unofficial result released as of 8 a.m. Wednesday by election watchdog National Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) in Davao City, the reelectionist mayor tallied a total of 70,099 votes, covering 702 of the city's 3,586 precincts.
He was leading by a mile against his four unknown rivals, all of whom only got less than 500 votes.
Sara, on the other hand, was also leading with a huge margin. She got 59,479 votes as against her rival Jeff Ho's 8,799.
Sara is reportedly being groomed by her father to replace him at the City Hall. Duterte is up to serve his last three-year-term as the city's chief executive.
In the congress race, reelectionist Representative Prospero Nograles, of Davao City's first congressional district, was also leading by a huge margin. He tallied 30,251 votes as against his closest rival Anacleto Millendez's 1,841 votes.
Another reelectionist Representative Vincent Garcia, of the city's second congressional district, was also leading, but Councilor Jimmy Dureza is giving him a good fight.
Garcia tallied 6,661 votes, closely followed by Dureza with 4,408. Lawyer Abelardo Aportadera was on third spot with 3,497.
It's a three-cornered fight in the third congressional district with former councilor Isidro Ungab leading the pack.
Ungab, who was endorsed by Mayor Duterte, tallied a total of 6,968 votes, followed by Rene Elias Lopez, brother of incumbent Representative Ruy Elias, who garnered 3,896.
Lopez is closely followed by former Davao City mayor Benjamin de Guzman with 3,026 votes.
The city's third district is considered a bailiwick of the Lopezes, whose father Elias B. Lopez served as the city's mayor for years. Rene Elias was endorsed by Nograles.
Such endorsement triggered bickering between Duterte and Nograles who both ran under the administration-backed Hugpong sa Tawong Lungsod.
In the race for City Council seats, reelectionist councilors appeared to be heading for victory.
The fight for the eight council seats, to represent the city's First District, is led by Maria Belen Acosta with 32,461 votes. Acosta topped the council race in the same district in 2004 elections.
She is closely followed by another reelectionist Councilor Leonardo Avila 111 with 29,784.
The rest in the Top 8 are all reelectionists, except for first timer Edgar Ibuyan who was on 7th spot with 24,462 votes.
In the winning circle were reelectionists Pilar Braga with 28,611, Angela Librado-Trinidad with 27,132, Peter Laviña with 26,219, Nilo Abellera with 25,269 and Bonifacio Militar with 24,119.
In the 2nd District, first timer Louie John Bonguyan, son of graduating Davao City Mayor Luis Bonguyan, continued to lead the more veterans in the political arena.
The young Bonguyan tallied 9,991 votes, closely followed by reelectionist Councilor Danilo Dayanghirang with 9,222.
On third spot was another reelectionist Diosdado Angelo Mahipus who garnered 9,155 votes.
Rounding up the Top 8 in 2nd District were come-backing councilor Thomas Monteverde IV with 8,628 votes, first-timer Samuel Bangoy with 8,569, reelectionists Susabel Reta with 8,465, Dante Apostol with 7,699, and Nenen Orcullo with 7,523.
Another reelectionist Councilor Arnolfo Cabling was on 9th spot.
In the 3rd District, reelectionists Wilberto Al-ag and Myrna Dalodo-Ortiz were leading the race, tallying 10,518 and 10,278 votes, respectively.
On third spot was Rachel Zozobrado, who was fielded by her father, Councilor Jesus Zozobrado, tallied with 9,877. The elder Zozobrado died of liver cancer at the height of the campaign period.
On fourth spot was reelectionist Victorio Advincula with 9,220 votes.
Karlo Bello, a first-timer who is the son of former Department of Justice secretary Silvestre Bello and grandson of former city mayor Luis Santos, was doing good landing on 5th spot with 8,576.
Other candidates in the winning circle were reelectionist councilors Jose Louie Villafuerte with 7,917 votes, Conrado Baluran with 7,806 and come-backing councilor Teresita Mata.
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Iloilo. For Bisaya stories from Davao. Click here. (May 17, 2007 issue)
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