Leyte mayor who lost by 1 vote concedes defeat

TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines — Mayor Susan Ang of San Isidro, Leyte, who lost by one vote to his opponent in the mayoral elections last week, is not filing an election protest.

“The only way to move on is to accept your loss... I and my family love a peaceful life... no need (to file a protest) because I love my family as well as my town,” Ang said.

Ang, who ran under PDP-Laban, garnered 8,828 votes. Her opponent, Remedio Veloso of the United Nationalist Alliance, got 8,829 votes.

Instead of filing an election protest, Ang said she would help the family of her municipal administrator Levi Mabini, who was gunned down by unidentified men a week before election day.

She had earlier expressed concern that elections in the town were marred by harassment, intimidation and vote buying.

Felicisimo Embalsado, Commission on Elections-Eastern Visayas assistant regional director, urged Ang to file a protest if she has evidence of election fraud.

Veloso, for his part, said he is ready to face anyone who would question his victory.

Ang’s husband Allan also lost in his bid for a seat at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan.

22, not 21

Meanwhile, Arth Bryan Celeste, who was elected mayor of Alaminos City, Pangasinan, is 22 years old and not 21 as erroneously reported by The STAR in its May 19 issue.

Celeste, whose father Arthur is the incumbent chief executive of the city, could be the youngest mayor elected in the May 13 polls.