THE six who will represent Pangasinan in Congress for the next three years have been officially proclaimed by the Commission on Elections (Comelec), some without much ado and one with a persistent opposition.

First to be proclaimed was re-electionist 4th District Rep. Gina de Venecia, then four other women representatives: Rosemary Arenas of the 3rd District and re-electionist Marlyn Promicias Agabas of the 6th District, who both ran unopposed; and re-electionist, 5th District Rep. Kimi Cojuangco.

Last to be proclaimed were re-electionists 1st District Rep. Jesus Celeste and 2nd District Rep. Leopoldo Bataoil, both with the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC).

RESISTANCE

A last-minute attempt to suspend Bataoil’s proclamation was put up by the lawyer of his opponent, Kim Lokin, but Provincial Elections Supervisor Marino Salas denied the motion saying the body does not have the authority to do such.

Bataoil, for his part, offered reconciliation to Lokin and called on her to accept the “people’s will”.

“I am offering my hand of reconciliation to Madame Lokin. Sana po ay mapakinggan niya at maramdaman niya ‘yong boses ng nakararami, ng taumbayan na dapat respetuhin at huwag na po sanang hadlangan… A true leader knows how to respect the people’s will…” said Bataoil in an interview after his proclamation on May 15.

“Ako po ay nakikiusap sa kanila na kung pwede ay magsama-sama na po kami,” he said as he called for unity.

At the same time, Bataoil said he is ready to face any election protest that may be filed.

“Nakahanda naman akong harapin ang anumang protesta o kaso…tulad ng kanilang ng naisampa na,” said Bataoil citing that in 2010, a “similar situation prevailed.”

At the time, Lokin protested and filed a case before the House of Representatives electoral tribunal which the body denied, then filed for a motion for reconsideration which again was denied, and then brought the case before the Supreme Court, which denied it with finality.

Meanwhile, Bataoil also expressed his support to the governor’s call for the relief of Pangasinan Provincial Police Office (PPPO) Provincial Director Officer-in-Charge Marlou Chan.

“I support the strong words of our governor and I support his provision. I believe that the Provincial Director failed my expectation. I was hoping that he would maintain high level of professionalism that even in the midst of the so-called pressures on him to do what he needs to, he should have maintained his professionalism. He should have stood his ground the way we stood our ground in the past when we were still in the uniform service,” said Bataoil.

WOMEN WINNERS

For the other winners, De Venecia, who will be serving a second term, handed Celia Lim her second defeat in a row in as many elections.

De Venecia accounted for 95 percent of the votes in San Fabian, Mangaldan, San Jacinto and Manaoag and scored 75 percent of the votes in Dagupan City where Celia’s husband Benjamin is the mayor.

Cojuangco, who was represented in the proclamation by her husband, former Rep. Mark Cojuangco, handily won over former Justice Undersecretary Demetrio Demetria.

Cojuangco received 91.57% of the district vote.

Celeste, with 66.43% of the votes, defeated Leonido Pulido by a comfortable margin.

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