FIVE HOME RUNS

THE Espino family, all four members, will continue to dominate politics in Pangasinan for another three years after they scored resounding victories against their respective opponents during the May 9 elections.

Mr. Amado Espino III, son of outgoing-Gov. Amado T. Espino Jr., and incumbent ex-officio board member of Pangasinan, as president of the 1,300-strong Liga ng mga Barangay Provincial Federation, scored a landslide victory against former Rep. Mark Cojuangco in the gubernatiorial race.

Mr. Espino III won with 736,909 votes while Mr. Cojuangco settled for 513,897 votes.

Meanwhile, Gov. Espino defeated Fifth District Rep. Kimi S. Cojuangco for a three-year term in a battle in a lopsided victory winning in all towns except in Sison and Sto. Tomas.

Gov. Espino was credited with 133,381 while Ms. Cojuangco, now on her second term in Congress, garnered 92,947 votes.

Although Ms. Cojuangco won in Sison town, where she and husband made home, they failed to save their own ally, incumbent Mayor Mina Joy Pangasinan who lost to outgoing-Fifth District Board Member Danilo Uy.

The Espinos ran under the party Aksyon Demokratiko and Partido na Pangasinan (PnP), while Cojuangco couple ran under the Nationalist Peoples Coalition (NPC).

The father and son were proclaimed one after the other by the Provincial Board of Canvassers composed of Atty. Joel Gines, chairman; Provincial Prosecutor Abraham Ramos and Provincial Schools Superintendent Ma. Celia Fernandez, member/secretary.

Two other Espinos who won in their re-election bids are the governor’s younger brother, Mayor Amadeo Espino of Bautista, and his other son, Mayor Jumel Espino of Bugallon town who won their respective second terms of office.

Mayor Jumel beat former Mayor Ric Orduna while Mayor Amadeo beat Eddie Ong.

The Cojuangcos lost the election despite the vaunted machinery of the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), a political party founded by Cojuangco’s farther business tycoon Eduardo Cojuangco, and the endorsement of Iglesia ni Cristo.

Espino III won in all congressional districts, except in the first district. Aside from this, Cojuangco also lost in his runningmate’s hometown of Calasiao, and in San Carlos City where he trailed Espino III by 33,041 votes.

Espino earned his biggest lead in the second district, by a total of 60,910 votes as he won in all towns, except in Binmaley.

The battle, however, for the position of vice gubernatorial post between incumbent Vice Governor Jose Ferdinand Calimlim and Calasiao Mark Roy Macanlalay was a close but Calimlim eventually won it.

Mr. Calimlim was credited with 554,072 votes against Mr. Macanlalay’s 551,216 votes.

WINNERS AND LOSERS

The re-electionist-congressmen who succeeded in their bids are Jesus Celeste (NPC) of the First District, Leopoldo Bataoil (LP) of the Second District, Rosemary Baby Arenas (LP) of the Third District and Marlyn Agabas (Aksyon) of the Sixth District.

The new congressman in fourth District is Christopher “Toff” de Venecia (LP), who succeeded her mother, Rep. Gina de Venecia.

All the provincial board members, namely, First District Board Members Napoleon Fontelera and Antonio Sison, both of the NPC, Second District Board Members Raul Sison of Aksyon; and Nikki Boy Reyes of LP; Third District: Angel Baniqued Jr., LP; and Generoso Tulagan Jr. (KBL) who sought re-election returned to their posts except for Board Member Ranjit Ramos Shahani who placed fourth in the Sixth District race.

Dr. Jeremy Agerico Rosario will return to his old post as Board Member from the Fourth District together with re-electionist Liberarto Villegas. Both are LP.

Fourth District Board Member Mojamito Libunao lost his mayoralty bid in San Fabian against incumbent Mayor Constante Agbayani while Board Member Danilo Uy won as mayor of Sison town.

Re-electionist, Clemente Arboleda Jr. will return as Board Member of the Fifth District after placing second to partymate Chinky Perez in the Fifth District’s Board Member race, both are with NPC.

The other new faces in the Sangguniang Panlalawigan are Salvador Perez Jr of NPC and Noel Bince of the LP who both won in the Sixth District. (Leonardo Micua) 

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