Rival families’ new faces win in 4th district

CEBU, Philippines - Last week’s national and local elections have seen two new faces from opposing political bigwigs winning in Cebu’s fourth district.

Reelected Representative Benhur Salimbangon’s son, Francis, was elected number one councilor in Tabogon town. 

Salimbangon’s daughter, Daphne, however, failed to get one of 10 seats available at the Bogo City Council.

Daphne also lost in the 2013 mayoralty race against Mayor Celestino “Junie” Martinez, Jr., while Salimbangon’s sister, Mariquita Salimbangon-Yeung, also lost to Junie in the 2010 elections.

In the elections last May 9, Junie, who was on his last term as mayor, lost to Salimbangon. Junie’s son Carlo, however, was elected as city mayor. The neophyte politician will be joined by his sister Mayel, who won as vice mayor.

Carlo is a lawyer and a former deputy commissioner of the National Telecommunications Commission, while vice mayor-elect Mayel is a nurse.

Junie’s other son, Celestino “Tining” Martinez III, is the incumbent barangay captain of Cayang. As president of the district’s Association of Barangay Councils, Tining sits as ex-officio member of the City Council and at the Provincial Board.

In 2007, Tining filed an election protest against Salimbangon, who was unseated just after the 2010 elections, when the latter was already elected for a supposed second term.

Tining again lost to Salimbangon in the 2013 elections. Salimbangon supposedly should have been barred by the country’s three-term limit from running in the elections last week if his first term had not been interrupted in 2010.

The Martinezes and the Salimbangons used to be allies. When Junie was congressman in 1992 to 1998, Salimbangon was PB member together with now San Remigio Mayor Mariano Martinez.

Salimbangon run but lost to Junie’s wife, former congresswoman Clavel Asas-Martinez, in the 1998 congressional race.  (FREEMAN)