(Dennis Pineda makes a winning point. Wholesale loss for Pampanga’s Best bets. Photos by Bong Lacson)
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – Unsurprising as the sure victory of Gov. Lilia G. Pineda in her unopposed run for vice governor was the expected landslide win of her son Vice Gov. Dennis “Delta” Pineda over Bacolor Mayor Jomar Hizon in the gubernatorial contest.
The young Pineda garnered 631,606 votes to Hizon’s 221,664 votes with 96.11 percent of Election Returns (ERs) tallied.
Three other Hizon siblings met the same fate as their elder brother’s: city councilor Angie’s 56,060 votes falling way short of incumbent Jimmy Lazatin’s 65,840; aspirant city councilor Ricky failing to make the Magic 10 with only 37,632 votes; and Derrick losing in the Bacolor mayoralty race to Diman Datu, 14,4333 to 21,771 votes.
Unopposed
Sans opponent, Masantol Mayor Dan Guinto still managed to get 17,629 votes, while neophyte Esmie Pineda had 52,316 votes welcoming her to the Lubao mayorship. Also unopposed is Pineda’s running mate Councilor Jay Montemayor earning the vice mayoralty post with 46,222 vote.
All the provincial board members virtually ran unopposed and were ready for proclamation: re-electionists Benny Jocson and Cherry Manalo, 1st District; former Lubao Mayor Mylyn PIneda-Cayabyab, Fritzie David-Dizon and reelectionist Tonton Torres, 2nd District; reelectionists Rosve Henson, Ananias Canlas Jr, and Dinan Labung, 3rd District; and Pol Balingit and Nelson Calara, 4th District.
New kid
The Benjamin in the 2019 Pampanga polls is Porac’s Jing Capil by virtue of his gaining 24,945 votes to beat Vice Mayor Dexter David who got 18,181 votes. A miserable third placer in the mayoralty race is former Pampanga governor and former TIEZA general manager Mark Lapid who got only 9,589 votes.
Reelected
City of San Fernando Mayor Edwin Santiago won his third and last term with 73,767 votes against Dlores barangay chair and ABC president Vilma Caluag with 51,974 votes.
Mexico’s Mayor Teddy Tumang led the re-elected mayors, trouncing anew former Mayor Roy Manalastas, 39,301 to 20,939.
Mayor Dagi Slalaila prevailed over his elder brother, former Mayor Art in Sta. Rita, 9,655 to 8,557.
Sasmuan’s Nardo Velasco garnered 8,087 votes to stave off the comeback of former ALE Partylist representative and former mayor Lina Bagasina, who had 7,288 votes.
The Ombudsman’s multi-suspended Guagua Mayor Dante Torres avalanched contender Rading Oclasio with 25,077 votes to the latter’s 8,562.
Minalin Mayor Edgar Flores’ 15,875 votes were more than enough to bury his rival Pedro Sotto’s 5.704.
Arayat’s Bon Alejandrino’s 41.136 votes also provided him a landslide win against upstart Yot Dizon who managed a measly 8,668. Bon’s wife Madir though failed in her vice mayoralty bid, losing to Pogi Mallari.
Sta. Ana’s Ross Gamboa squeezed through the scraper with 12,478 votes against Oday Nacpil with 12,263.
Mayor Darwin Manalanasan’s 24,444 votes scuttled the comeback bid of former Mayor Eduardo Guerrero who managed only 17,161 votes.
Comeback
One-term Mayor Rene Maglanque made good his return to Candaba with 28,306 votes, against nemesis Mayor Danilo Baylon with 27,160 votes.
Dr. Jay Sagum’s hiatus from local politics ended with his return to the San Lusi mayorship via 16,586 votes against Junior Salas with 11,558.
Jun Tetangco is Apalit mayor anew with 22,864 votes against Gus Manlapas’s 20,119.
The greatest 2019 comeback story though is that of Leonardo “Bobong” Flores winning 14,942 votes over his own brother Edgar with 11,056 votes. Their sister, incumbent mayor Annette Flores-Balgan ran for vice mayor unopposed.
Tight finish
Sto. Tomas Mayor Johnny Sambo proved good for s single term, losing to Vice Mayor Gloria “Ninang” Ronquillo by the closest margin of 141 votes – 11,308 to 11,177.
A close fight also was the Magalang mayoralty contest with comebacking Mayor Romulo Pecson leading incumbent Mayor Malou Lacson, 20,529 to 20,318.
