BY: JOSE ROBERT INVENTOR
Following the recently concluded elections, several winning candidates across Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur were officially proclaimed by the Commission on Elections (COMELEC).
In Laoag City, Ilocos Norte, James Bryan Alcid was proclaimed as the new city mayor on the night of May 12.
He secured 36,365 votes, defeating his cousin and re-electionist Mayor Michael Marcos, who garnered 36,017 votes.
In Batac City, Markee Chua, an ally of the Marcoses, was proclaimed mayor.
In Pasuquin, re-electionist Robert D. Aguinaldo won as mayor alongside his running mate, Vice Mayor Kitt Aguinaldo.
Meanwhile, in the town of Burgos, re-electionist Cresente Garcia and his vice mayoral candidate, Russel Jenald Garcia, were also proclaimed winners.
In Ilocos Sur, re-electionist Governor Jerry Singson and his tandem, Vice Governor Ryan Singson, were proclaimed unopposed.
In Santo Domingo, Annea Cassandra S. De Leon was declared the new town mayor with 8,843 votes, defeating Bryan Dexter Tadena who received 6,586 votes.
Felix Ingan was proclaimed vice mayor with 8,411 votes.
For the congressional race, re-electionist Ronald Singson retained his post as the first district representative of Ilocos Sur.
Meanwhile, Bongbong Bicasan, an incumbent municipal councilor, was proclaimed mayor of Gregorio Del Pilar.
Despite the peaceful conduct of the elections in Ilocos Sur, two automated counting machines (ACMs) encountered technical issues.
COMELEC Provincial Election Supervisor Atty. Marino Salas said, “So far, everything went peacefully and according to plan. There were only two machines that had to be replaced due to technical glitches, but they were repaired immediately and didn’t reach us at the provincial level.”
