Luigi, LP bets win big in Mandaue

CEBU, Philippines - The Liberal Party candidates in Mandaue City win big in last Monday's elections, clinching the two top posts, leaving only three seats in the City Council for the opposition.

The tandem of LP mayoralty candidate incumbent and Sixth District Representative Luigi Quisumbing and his runningmate lawyer Carlo Fortuna and the rest of the winning candidates were proclaimed by the Board of canvassers at 2 a.m. yesterday, shortly after all the votes were canvassed.

Quisumbing, who garnered 85,433 votes, beat Councilor Emmarie "Lolypop" Ouano-Dizon with only 65,055. Fortuna dominated Councilor Beethoven Andaya with his 81,479 votes. Andaya only garnered 56,004 votes.

For councilors, incumbent councilor Jun Cortes was reelected as number one with 76,782 votes, he is followed by Elmer Cabahug of One Cebu with 67,279. Councilor Neneta Layese is also getting another term after bagging the third seat with 66,671 total votes. In fourth place was reelectionist Tony Gabon with 64,398, followed by another member of One Cebu Party Malcolm Sanchez (63,945).

Ibabao-Estancia's barangay chief Jun Delmar was also elected councilor with 63,377 votes. The third One Cebu councilor to win a seat in the City Council was Ben Basiga who placed seventh with 60,492 votes, followed by LP's Kevin Cabahug (55,180), Cynthia Remedio (54,772) and Olin Seno with 54,619 votes.

Quisumbing said he was "extremely overwhelmed" by the big margin he got from rival Dizon. He assured to continue the projects of outgoing Mayor Jonas Cortes.

"First I will sit down with the transition team with Mayor Jonas. No interruption of progress in Mandaue," he said.

He said he is also looking forward to expanding health care coverage for the city residents, improve infrastructure and education systems, and others.

Cortes is also leading in the congressional race against Paulos Cañete, who filed a pre-proclamation protest yesterday before the Provincial Board of Canvassers.

Lawyer Rose Versoza, counsel for Cortes, sought for the outright dismissal of the protest on the ground that it was against the rules.

The PBOC held in abeyance the scheduled proclamation of Cortes at 9:30 a.m. today until the board rules on the protest before lunchtime.

As of 7:05 p.m. Cortes garnered had 136,915 votes as against Cañete’s 53,936 votes.

Mandaue City election officer Ferdinand Gujilde reported an 83 percent turnout of voters in last Monday’s elections, saying a total 159,019 voters of 189,712 registered voters cast their votes. — (FREEMAN)