INCUMBENT La Trinidad town vice mayor Romeo Salda won by a wide margin over two seasoned opponents.
Salda was the runaway winner in the three cornered fight for mayoralty seat with 16,842, followed by former mayor Greg Abalos with 8,214 and incumbent mayor Edna Tabanda with 6,805 votes.
Salda said his fight for the top post did not come easy.
“Yung isa ay former mayor, yung isa ay incumbent,” mayor–elect Salda said, adding that this is one of the factors which worked for him, offering something new to the people of the Valley.
Salda said he did not expect the turnout of votes to be as big as it is.
“The people of La Trinidad have spoken, we will talk to stakeholders soon,” Salda added.
La Trinidad Election Officer Grace Faustino proclaimed the winning candidates past midnight of May 10, making the Valley one of the first to finish the election process.
For the vice mayoralty race, Joey Jovencio Marrero proved to be triumphant with 15,082 over lone opponent John Botiwey with 14,856 votes. Both are incumbent council members.
For the local council, emerging on top is incumbent councilor Roderick Awingan with a resounding 15,120, followed by neophyte Nestor Fongwan Jr. with 12,741, incumbents Henry Kipas with 12,300, lone lady in the winner’s circle, Estrella Adeban with 12,074, Horacio Ramos Jr. with 12,028, Renato Tereng with 11,981, come backing Arthur Shontogan with 11,155 and newbie, Guiller Galwan with 11.062.
Awingan, who is on his third and final term, has taken the top spot for council. He has passed 72 ordinances and 601 resolutions during his two terms.
Awingan cites the Anti Smoking Ordinance, as well as the new law covering the issuance of Certification of Final Electrical Inspection (CFEI) to residential buildings and disaster preparedness ordinances as some of the most important he has crafted.
There are 66 clustered precincts in La Trinidad with 33,080 voter turnout against the 39,607 registered voters reported.
For the province, a new set of leaders are waiting for proclamation.
In the partial unofficial results from the 11 towns out of 13 or 85.90 percent of the provincial canvass report for the member of House of Representatives with Ronald Cosalan lording the contest garnering 77,993 votes while Nestor Fongwan with 64,511 votes.
Some 147,292 voted on Monday out of the 204,495 registered voters.
For the Provincial gubernatorial seat, Cresencio Pacalso garnered the highest votes at 58,705 followed by Nelson Dangwa with 40,196 while Melchor Diclas has 19,785, Oscar Camantiles with 13,497 and 7,039 for Jack Dulnuan.
In the vice gubernatorial race, a tight race is ensuing with Florence Tingbaoen garnering 46,938 while Conception Balao follows at second with 46,582 as Faustino Aquisan has 35,156 votes.
In the first district, topping the race for the board member of the Provincial Board are Johnny Waguis (29,061), Florencio Bentrez (26,687), Coy Nazarro (22,901), Bernard Waclin (21,299) and Ben Saguid (20,779).
For the second district, Robert Namoro is currently topping the list with 36,125 followed by Jim Botiwey (33,457), Roberto Canuto(28,642), Ruben Raoad (28,642), Apolinario Camsol(24,741), and Uncle Pandong Balaodan (24,190).
Comelec personnel at the capitol area said election returns from Kibungan have been transported to the capitol as of Tuesday afternoon, because of problems encountered with the transmission of the Vote Counting Machines while election returns from Buguias were reportedly on the way to the capitol as of press time.
The poll body added the proclamation for candidates for the province will be held after all returns have been submitted and counted. (With a report from Kareen Grace Perdonio, Colegio de Dagupan intern)