Cebu: November 14, 1967 election

In the provincial arena, the pugilists for the position of governor were Atty. Rene Gandiongco Espina and Priscilliano Almendras.

Espina was a Bar topnotcher and youngest administrator of the Social Security System and at that time incumbent governor and the Nacionalista Party’s standard bearer supported by President Marcos. He was newly victorious from the 1965 election, defeating incumbent president Diosdado Macapagal and Almendras, the incumbent vice governor and tandem of Espina in the 1964 election.

Espina was supported by President Marcos and Congressman Ramon Durano while Almendras of the Liberal Party was supported by Serging Osmeña. Priscilliano was the son of Paulo Almendras and Elisea Durano (the sister of Ramon Durano) but they were the political adversary of Noy Amon (Ramon) who was an Anti-Osmeña. Durano, a protégé of Don Mariano Jesus Cuenco, refused to join the Osmeña-Cuenco fusion.

Espina won against Almendras. So did his vice governor, Dr. Osmundo Rama (son of Don Vicente Rama), and his board members Atty. Pablo Paras Garcia (the private lawyer who retook the provincial lots from Cebu City), Reynaldo Mendiola, and Valeriano Carillo (admitted to the Bar on October 15, 1956), a son by the name of Rodulph Joseph Val J. Carillo is an assistant prosecutor of Cebu City.

The youngest son of Governor/Senator Rene Espina by the name of Erik Miguel Remollo Espina was appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte as Cebu City councilor last year and is now running for councilor in the Cebu City South District.

In the Cebu City political front, Serging Osmeña, an incumbent senator (elected in 1965) was challenged by Atty. Francisco Remotigue (admitted to the Bar on November 18, 1935), a former governor and an Osmenista. It was a three-cornered fight as a former mayor and also an Osmenista, Atty. Carlos Cuizon, joined the match.

Sergio “Serging” Chiong Veloso Osmeña Jr. emerged victorious, even the votes of Remotigue (26,463) and Cuizon (5,436) could not surpass the votes of Osmeña (42,192). The entire slate of Osmeña also won. They were vice mayor Engr. Eulogio Enriquez Borres and councilors Atty. Florencio S. Urot, Raymundo A. Crystal (founder of the Cebu City National Science High School), Atty. Ronald R. Duterte, Bienvenido B. Tudtud, Arturo L. Abellana, Atty. Jesus S. Gabuya, Jose V. Arias, Caridad A. Trocino, and Dr. Jose V. Rodriguez.