Same names dominate Leyte’s local race

TACLOBAN CITY, May 11 (PNA) – Same old names and faces will rule Leyte province in the next three years.

Re-electionst Leyte Governor Leopoldo Dominico Petilla was formally proclaimed Tuesday evening along with five more officials in Leyte, after garnering majority of votes during Monday's elections.

Petilla, a member of the influential clan, defeated two other candidates, whose names don’t ring a bell among voters in the province ruled by their family for nearly three decades.

The governor earned 448,957 votes, a wide lead over Baldomero Falcone’s 13,209 votes and Philip Nielo’s 13,036 votes.

His cousin Lawyer Carlo Loreto is still the vice governor. He has no opponent in this year’s elections.

Petilla’s allies board members Gina Merillo and Ranulfo Abellanosa of the first district secured a fresh term.

In the second district, their allies, Nicollo Villasin and Trinidad Apostol won the race in the provincial board, defeating unknown candidates.

Apostol’s victory marks her return in local politics after years of hiatus in the political arena. The official has served as vice governor, congresswoman and mayor.

Although she belongs to an influential clan, this is the first attempt of Representative-elect Yedda Marie Romualdez (Leyte 1st district) to enter politics. Her husband, Martin, an outgoing congressman, is a nephew of former First Lady Imelda Romualdez-Marcos.

On Wednesday, four more representatives from Leyte's five districts were declared - neophyte Henry Ong (2nd district), Ching Veloso (3rd district), Rep. Lucy Torres-Gomez (4th district) and Rep. Jose Carlos Cari (5th district).

Among the four members of the House of Representatives, only Ong and Veloso are new. Ong toppled the political clout of Rep. Sergio Apostol. Ong’s brother is the mayor of Carigara town.

Veloso, a retired justice of the Court of Appeals, defeated Victoria Salvacion, the daughter of incumbent congressman. He’s a newbie in politics, but his relatives ruled the province from 1995 to 2007.

In the provincial board, favored candidates waiting for official proclamation are Alan Ang and Maricor Remdandaban (3rd district), Matthew Torres and Mesias Arevalo (4th district), and Florante Cayunda, Jr. and Emmanuel Gacis (5th district)

Among the incumbent board members are Ang, Arevalo, Cayunda and Gacis. Newbies in the provincial board are Remandaban, an outgoing mayor of Tabango town and Torres, a brother of actress turned politician Rep. Lucy Torres-Gomez. (PNA)
JMC/SQM/LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA/EGR