• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
A day after the May 12 elections, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) proclaimed eight provincial officials, 31 mayors, and four winning candidates for congressman in Negros Occidental as of 6 p.m. Tuesday.
Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson won his reelection bid for a third and final term, with his running mate, Fourth District Board Member Jose Benito Alonso, also proclaimed as winner for vice governor.
Victorias City Mayor Javier Miguel Benitez and Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer were proclaimed winners for the third and fourth district congressional seats, respectively.
Fifth district Rep. Emilio Bernardino Yulo and six district Rep. Mercedes Alvarez also got re-elected as members of the House of Representatives.
Second district Rep. Alfredo Marañon III, who is unopposed, is slated to be proclaimed on May 14, while returning Rep. Julio Ledesma IV of the first district will follow on May 15, Provincial Election Supervisor Ian Lee Ananoria said.
Also proclaimed were Board Members Sixto Pal Guanzon (second district), Andrew Montelibano and Bambi Depasucat (third district), Nicholas Yulo and Paula Alonso (fourth district), Hadji Trujillo (fifth district) and Ralph Alvarez (sixth district).
Winners in the mayoralty race included Renato Gustilo – San Carlos City, Marilyn Era – Calatrava, Richard Jaojoco – Toboso, Melecio Yap Jr. – Escalante City, Nehemiah Joe de la Cruz Jr. – Don Salvador Benedicto, Rafael Leo Cueva – Sagay City, Salvador Escalante Jr. – Cadiz City, Mika Escalante – Manapla, Abelardo Bantug III – Victorias City, Matthew Louis Malacon – E.B. Magalona;
Joedith Gallego – Silay City, Rowena Lopez Lizares – Talisay City, Gerardo Rojas – Murcia, Mayette Javellana – Bago City, Miguel Peña – Pulupandan, Ricardo Presbitero – Valladolid, Jilson Tubillara – San Enrique, Jose Maria Alonso – Pontevedra, Joelu Jalandoni – La Carlota;
Mary Grace Arceo – Hinigaran, Emmanuel Aranda – Binalbagan, Raymond Tongson – Himamaylan City, Ella Celestina Garcia Yulo – Moises Padilla, Anejo Nicor – La Castellana, Miguel Angelo Yulo – Isabela;
Benjie Miranda – Kabankalan City, Paul Alvarez – Ilog, John Rey Tabujara – Cauayan, Ray Ruiz- Candoni, Gina Montilla Lizares – Sipalay City and Daph Reliquias of Hinobaan.
Other winning board members, including Marxlen de la Cruz and Araceli Somosa (first district) Arthur Christopher Marañon (second district), Rita Gatuslao (fifth district) and Jeffrey Tubola (sixth district) are expected to be proclaimed either today or Thursday.
With the proclamation of winning candidates, Lionel Marco Castillano, Comelec regional director for Negros Island Region, called on winning candidates, and those who did not make it to set aside the division and personal differences.
“Let us choose cooperation over conflict, meaningful conversations instead of disgruntle for personal interest, and progress over partisanship or partiality,” Castillano said. | GB
