Candidates endorsed by Iglesia win polls

By Celso M. Cajucom

CABANATUAN City, Nueva Ecija -- Majority of local candidates endorsed by the Iglesia ni Cristo emerged victorious in the May 9, 2022 local and national elections.
    Presumptive President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. and presumptive Vice President Sara "Inday" Duterte-Carpio had been endorsed by the politically influential religious group and both won by landslides in Nueva Ecija, a known Marcos bailiwick.
    Marcos got 945,388 votes from the reported 1,541,685 reported registered voters and Duterte-Carpio, 703,042 votes.
    Palayan City Mayor Adrianne Mae Joson Cuevas reportedly helped push the candidacies of Bongbong and Inday, who ran under the banner of the UniTeam.
    The provincial board of canvassers of the Commission on Elections officially declared the winners of the races for governor, vice governor, provincial board and congressmen (four districts) in the province on Wednesday.
Incumbent Gov. Aurelio Umali garnered 826,876 votes while his brother Vice Gov. Emmanuel Anthony "Doc" Umali got 786,167 votes.
    The governor's wife Czarina "Cherry" Umali did not make it with 159,922 votes against her opponent in the battle for the third district, Rossana "Ria" Vergara, who got 180,888 votes or a margin of 20,966 votes.
In the fourth district, Gapan City Mayor Emerson "Emeng" Pascual was proclaimed winner, beating incumbent Rep. Maricel Natividad Nagaño by a margin of 23,477 votes.
    Pascual obtained 177,046 votes and Nagano 153,599 votes.
    Pascual's sister Emmary Joy Pascual was declared winner as Gapan City mayor-elect with her reelected vice mayor Inocencio "Dodong" Bautista, including the whole ticket.
    Second District Rep. Joseph Violago and Mica Suansing in the first district also triumphed.
    Provincial board winners were Rap Rap Villanueva, Ler de Guzman, Eric Salazar (first district), actor Jayson Abalos, Dindo Dysico (second district), Eduardo "EJ" Joson, Jojo Matias (third district), Nap Interior, Maritess Patiag and Mary Liberty Cruz (fourth district).
    In Talavera town, proclaimed winners were mayor-elect Nerito "JayR" Santos and his sister Nerivi Santos Martinez as vice mayor.
    The eight winning councilors were Aries Gaboy, Reichel Ann Rosas Villanueva, Belinda Palilio, Renieleo Rayo, Joel del Rosario, Manolito Silva, Rafael Reyes and Erwin Chico.
    Proclaimed mayors were Ramil Rivera (Cabiao), Flor Esteban (Cuyapo), Isidro Pajarillaga (Gen. Tinio), Josefino Angeles (Santa Rosa), Femy Domingo (Licab), Imee de Guzman (Sto. Domingo), Hanna Katrina Andres (Rizal) and Froilan "Elan" Nagaño (San Leonardo).
    Ronnie Pascual ( Llanera), Joey Ramos (Peñaranda), Roberto Agdipa (Pantabangan), Anita Arocena (Gen. Natividad), Jobby Emata (Gabaldon), Pacifico Monta (Talugtug) and Arvin Salonga (San Antonio).
    Sylvia Austria (Jaen), Mariano Cristino Joson (Quezon), Alex Romano (Lupao), Jose Dizon (Guimba), Myca Vergara (Cabanatuan City), Mario Salvador (San Jose City) and Christopher Daus (Laur).
    Also mayoral winners were Florentino "Ante" Tinio (San Isidro), Gilbert Moreno (Aliaga), Ricardo Padilla (Bongabon), Rogelio Abad (Carranglan), Vianne Cuevas (Palayan City), Armi Alvarez (Science City of Muñoz) and Lally Belmonte (Zaragosa).