3 CAR provinces have new governors

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya , Philippines  – Three of Cordillera’s six provinces have new governors as a result of the just-concluded first automated elections in the country.

 The mountainous Cordillera (Cordillera Administrative Region) is composed of Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga and Mountain Province.

Kalinga’s incumbent Gov. Floydelia Diasen lost in her re-election bid to Josel Baac (Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino). She placed poor third in a five-cornered gubernatorial fight behind Baac and Macario Duguiang of the Nationalist People’s Coalition. Diasen of the Lakas-Kampi-CMD, won as governor in 2007 as a last-minute replacement of then Vice Gov. Rommel Diasen, who was assassinated while campaigning for the Kalinga governorship.

In Ifugao, lawyer Eugene Ballitang of the Liberal Party (LP) defeated outgoing Rep. Solomon Chungalao (Lakas-Kampi-CMD) for the governorship post while partymate, Pedro Mayam-o also unseated the latter’s running mate incumbent Vice Gov. Nora Dinamling.

Governor-elect Ballitang and Vice Governor-elect Mayam-o were both defense counsels of Juan Donald Duntugan, convicted killer of US Peace Corps volunteer Julia Campbell.

Ifugao’s incumbent governor, Teodoro Baguilat Jr., also of the LP, won the province’s lone congressional district, defeating six other candidates, including former Marine General Nestor Allaga (Lakas-Kampi-CMD), who placed poor fifth.        

Likewise, Mountain Province’s tightly-contested gubernatorial race was won by Leonard Mayaen, trouncing five other rivals, including Harry Dominguez of the still politically-influential Dominguez clan.

In the still to be officially decided congressional race in Mountain Province, incumbent Gov. Maximo Dalog (Lakas-Kampi-CMD) is leading his closest rival former Sabangan town Mayor Jupiter Dominguez by less than 1,000 votes, or 900 votes.

It was learned that the results from Paracelis town, reportedly a bailiwick of Dominguez, has yet to be officially accounted for hindering the proclamation of the winning congressional bet.

Dominguez’s uncle, Rep. Victor Dominguez died of an ailment while serving his congressional term, making the post vacant.