Elections over in Apayao before it started: Comelec

Incumbents rule -- kicker

LUNA, Apayao – “Election in the province of Apayao was over even before it started.”

So said Apayao Provincial Election Supervisor Dexter Cawis during the May 9 elections given the situation that the posts in the province and at least four mayoralty and all the vice mayoralty candidates in the municipalities were unopposed.

It was an easy ride for unopposed candidates- incumbent Apayao Rep. Eleanor Bulut-Begtang, Gov. Elias Bulut Jr. and vice gubernatorial candidate Remy Albano.

This will be the last term of the Bulut siblings in their respective posts while it will be the first term of incumbent Board Member Albano as vice governor.

For Sangguniang Panlalawigan District 1, winning candidates were Alison Betat, Shirley Romero, Anton Louie Talimbatog and Tolentino Mangalao.  For District 2, winners are MailahHaylee Ballesteros, Emiliano Galleon, Macleen Julian and Elmer Molina.

Of the seven towns of Apayao, four mayors were unopposed: Rodolfo Juan of Flora, RollyGuiang of Santa Marcela, Leonardo Dangoy of Conner, and Martin Lucero Lawat of Calanasan. These four unopposed mayoralty bets belong to the slate of the Liberal Party (LP).

Also re elected are incumbent mayors Josephine Bangsil of Luna and Joseph Amid.

Incumbent Vice Gov. Hector Reuel Pascua won as mayor in his hometown of Pudtol.

Apayao’s seven municipalities had unopposed vice mayors mostly under the LP slate. 

They were Shamir Bulut of Calanasan, Randy Ruel Begtang of Conner, Bensmar Ligwang of Kabugao, Manolito Bullaoit of Luna, Randy Laoat of Pudtol, Evelyn Martinez of Sta. Marcela, and Jessica De San Jose of Flora.

Cawis said that the election process was peaceful and was not complicated with many unopposed candidates but they experienced difficulties in the transmission of election results due to poor signal.

He said there was difficulty in sending election results from the polling precincts to the municipal board of canvassers due to weak and unstable signal in most of the areas of the province but all the results were successfully transmitted up to the provincial board of canvassers.