Cagayan’s Agui loses to ‘comebacking’ solon

TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan — Rep. Rodolfo "Agui" Aguinaldo of the Puwersa ng Masa (PnM) finally lost his magic touch with his constituents after he lost by a landslide to "comebacking" Rep. Manuel Mamba (Lakas-NUCD) for the province’s third congressional district.

Mamba, whom Aguinaldo defeated in the 1998 elections, reclaimed his old seat in his return match with the once formidable Aguinaldo.

Complete, unofficial election results showed that "comebacking" Mamba obtained 58,368 votes versus Aguinaldo’s 47,550 votes.

Aguinaldo’s re-election bid was allegedly bankrolled by former President Joseph Estrada and Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile, a native of Sta. Teresita, Cagayan.

Incumbent Rep. Jackie Enrile (independent), son of Sen. Enrile, is also winning by a wide margin over lawyer Victor Padilla (Lakas-NUCD) in the first district covering northeastern Cagayan.

First-timer Alejandro Pulido is also certain to take the second congressional district covering northwestern Cagayan. The post will be vacated by three-term Rep. Edgar Lara (NPC) who, in turn, won as governor, defeating incumbent Gov. Florencio Vargas (PnM) and former Tuguegarao City mayor Delfin Ting.

Ting’s son, Randolph, however, retained this city’s mayorship.

In Quirino, former Presidential Assistant for Northern Luzon Junie Cua (Liberal Party) bested by a wide margin former governor Josie Co (Lakas-NUCD) for the province’s lone congressional district.

Cua reclaimed his old seat from his wife, Rep. Maria Angela Cua, who served after he completed his first three terms. His son, 23-year old Dakila, also won overwhelmingly as vice governor over closest rival, lawyer Essex Silapan.

Quirino Gov. Pedro Bacani also routed lone rival businessman Dante Valencia by garnering 80 percent of more than 12,000 votes cast.

In Isabela, the Dy family is headed for electoral victory, as complete but unofficial election results showed. But those whom they endorsed appear to have been rejected by their constituents.

Rep. Faustino Dy Jr. is on his way to take over the governorship from his brother, Benjamin, who is on his last term. His lone rival, former Angadanan Mayor Manuel Syquian, was disqualified a week before the elections.

Brother Faustino "Bodgie" Dy III is also way ahead of former broadcaster Grace Padaca for the third congressional district. A three-term Cauayan City mayor, the Dy scion won by more than 3,000 votes.

In Isabela’s first district, former House Majority Floor Leader Rodolfo Albano Jr. reclaimed his old seat from his son, Rodito.

In Ifugao, former Rep. Gualberto Lumauig lost to three-term Kiangan town mayor Teddy Baguilat for the gubernatorial post vacated by three-term Gov. Ildefonso Dulinayan.

Rep. Benjamin Cappleman’s wife, Evangeline, failed to succeed her husband after she lost to first-timer Solomon Chungalao, 23,320 votes versus 19,936.