DILG chief bro wins Samar’s congressional race

CALBAYOG CITY, Samar, May 12 (PNA) -- The Provincial Board of Canvassers proclaimed on Wednesday night Edgar Mary Sarmiento as the new representative of Samar’s first district.

The congressman-elect is the elder brother of Department Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Mel Senen Sarmiento, who was then the district’s representative before he assumed the cabinet post September last year.

Sarmiento was emotional when Samar Provincial Election Supervisor Juan Bautista Beato, Jr. read the Certificate of Canvass of Votes and Proclamation.

The Liberal Party bet got the highest vote of 83,999 against his tight rival Calbayog City Councilor Raymond Uy of the Nacionalista Party, who got 75,645 votes.

Beato said that the result does not include the votes from the Matuguinao town who failed to transmit results due to a failure of election in one village when armed men burned a vote counting machine.

“Even if the more than 5,000 registered voters of Matuguinao will be in favor for Uy, still Edgar Sarmiento will still be ahead by 3,073 votes,” Beato said.

Sarmiento thanked voters for the support and trust. “I will continue all the programs and projects what my brother Mel has started, Serbisyo Sigurado for the continued development of Samar.”

He added that he will continue for the improvement of Calbayog Airport as the facility will open investment opportunities.

He will also look into programs focusing on agriculture or aqua-culture for the fact the first district has so many resources to offer from this sector.

Sarmiento is hopeful that Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte will continue all the development projects implemented by the present administration.

“I’ll be pleading though I belong to the Liberal Party for President Digong coming from Mindanao to help Samar which is one of the poorest provinces, to continue the projects being implemented by the present administration because these are very vital for the development in Sama,” Sarmiento said.

According to Sarmiento, he owe his victory to the true sense of public service “Tatak Sarmiento, Serbisyo Sigurado” installed by his brother in Calbayog City and the entire first district of the province.

Sarmiento managed their family business before decided to enter politics. (PNA)
. BNB/SQM/JENNIFER SUMAGANG – ALLEGADO/EGR