TACLOBAN CITY – The candidates who ran under the ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) emerged as victorious in Samar during the recently-held May 13 midterm elections.
Leading among the PDP-Laban winners in the province was outgoing Governor Sharee Ann Tan who was elected as a congresswoman representing the province’s second congressional district.
About 19 of the elected mayors in the province are affiliated with the PDP-Laban.
These areas were the city of Catbalogan and towns of Jiabong, Motiong, Paranas, Calbiga, San Jose de Buan, Villareal, Pinabacdao, Sta. Rita, Basey, Daram, Talalora, and Marabut, all in the second district of Samar.
However, PDP-Laban’s mayoralty candidates from the towns of Hinabangan and Zumarraga were defeated.
In the first district of Samar, mayoralty bets of the party won in the towns of Tarangnan, San Jorge, Pagsanghan, Matuguinao, and the island towns of Tagapul-an and Sto Nino.
Meantime, the candidates of the Liberal Party (LP) won in Calbayog City, Gandara, Almagro and Sta. Margarita.
The PDP-Laban had its biggest political victory in the province in San Jorge and Matuguinao.
In San Jorge, incumbent Mayor Nancy Grey and her husband, Jojo, who both belong to the Liberal Party, lost on their respective bids.
Mayor Grey lost to Leo de Guiua while Jojo was defeated by Jay Bisnar.
Meantime, former Matuguinao mayor Aran Boller reclaimed his post by trouncing outgoing Vice Mayor Carmel de la Cruz and her sister, incumbent Mayor Melissa de la Cruz, was also defeated by Boller’s running-mate, Cleofe Belonio.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
