Comelec proclaims Mt Province poll winners

By Andrew Doga-ong

BONTOC, Mountain Province -- The Commission on Election proclaimed last week provincial winners for congressman, governor, vice-governor and members of the provincial board last elections.

Comelec provincial election supervisor lawyer Nicasio Jacob, who is also chairman of the provincial board of canvassers,proclaimed re-electionist Rep.  Maximo Dalog, Sr. and re-electionist Gov. Leonard Mayaen as newly elected congressman and governor, respectively.

Vice-governor Bonifacio Lacwasan who ran unopposed for the same position, did not attend the proclamation.

Proclaimed winners for Board Members for District  I (Bontoc, Paracelis, Natonin, Sadanga and Barlig) were Alfonso Kiat-ong(reelectionist), Stephen Afuyog,  Raul Lapon  and Atty. Florence Taguiba.

For District II(Bauko, Tadian, Sabangan,Sagada and Besao),  proclaimed winners are Francis Tauli, Romeo Pagedped and re-electionist Randolph Awisan, and  Winston Calde.

Provincial canvass showed Dalog garnered a total vote of 32,597 while his opponents, Jupiter Dominguez and Roy Manao got 29,218 and 13,720 votes, respectively

In the gubernatorial post, Mayaen got 40,260 while his rivals Arnold Pilando and Harry Dominguez got 27,151 and 5,091 votes, respectively.

Vice Gov. Lacwasan while unopposed still got a total vote of 43,895.

Provincial canvass also revealed  that there were  78,202 vote cast from the 108,111 total registered voters in the province.

In their separate messages after their proclamation at the jampacked Sangguniang Panlalawigan Hall, the winners are one in expressing their sincere and heartfelt gratitude to the people of the province for giving their trust and confidence for them to serve.

Dalog said the new mandate given to them, the  re-electionists,  is a manifestation that the programs and projects  that they  have initiated and implemented are going towards the right direction even as he exhorted the people’s continued support and cooperation for the betterment of the province.

Mayaen on the other hand, said the program and projects his administration started during his first term will continue saying that these are the reason he is given a fresh mandate. 

The local poll winners also cited the Comelec, security forces such as the Philippine National Police and the Philippine Army, Department of Education, the political candidates and the other sectors for the orderly and peaceful conduct of the elections in the province.

They also praised the Provincial Board of Canvassers for coming up in what they consider as “the fastest canvass ever in the political history of Mt. Province.”