The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) has officially proclaimed the winning candidates in Puerto Princesa following the May 12 national and local elections, based on the official City Certificate of Canvass.
Mayor Lucilo Bayron of the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP) secured another term after garnering 73,445 votes, which accounts for 49.72% of the total votes cast. He was followed closely by Nancy Socrates of LAKAS with 71,799 votes (48.61%), while Gerry Abordo of KTPNAN came in third with 1,770 votes.
Asked about his experience in the mayoral match, Bayron told reporters that he did not anticipate the number of votes between him and Socrates to be that close.
“Hindi ko ini-expect na ganoon kadikit… hindi kasing dali noong nakaraang [eleksyon],” Bayron stated, expressing gratitude to his supporters and voters.
Atty. Peter “Jimbo” Maristela of the Liberal Party won the vice mayoral race with 79,539 votes, or 55.08%, beating Raine Bayron (63,016 votes) and Larry Dela Peña (1,841 votes).
Maristela expressed gratitude to his supporters and the residents of the city who voted for him.
“Taus puso tayong nagpapasalamat sa ating mga kababayan sa Puerto Princesa sa pagbibigay ng tiwala sa inyong lingkod bilang vice mayor,” he said.
In the congressional race for Palawan’s 3rd District, Kabarangay Gil Acosta Jr. of LAKAS emerged victorious with 68,841 votes (46.28%), ahead of Baham Mitra (60,237 votes) and Clink Hagedorn (19,658 votes), who had already conceded.
The following 10 candidates were elected as city councilors of Puerto Princesa:
1. Patrick Hagedorn (incumbent) – 87,524 votes
2. Luis Marcaida III (incumbent) – 72,791 votes
3. Matthew Mendoza (incumbent) – 70,745 votes
4. Modesto “Jonjie” Rodriguez II (incumbent) – 64,632 votes
5. Gerry Abad (former Mandaragat barangay captain) – 55,257 votes
6. Herbert “Bong” Dilig (incumbent) – 55,288 votes
7. Victor Oliveros (incumbent) – 52,989 votes
8. Elgin Damasco (incumbent) – 49,676 votes
9. Erwin Edualino (former councilor) – 46,873 votes
10. Jie Lao (newly elected) – 46,325 votes
Of all the newly proclaimed city councilors, only Lao is not part of the political slate or “kuridas team” of reelected Bayron. While the rest of the winning candidates ran under Bayron’s lineup and received backing from his campaign machinery, Lao secured a seat in the Sangguniang Panlungsod as a candidate under Socrates.
Out of the 181,815 registered voters in the city, a total of 153,521 cast their ballots, resulting in a voter turnout of 84.44%.
The local elections in Puerto Princesa were conducted peacefully and smoothly, according to official reports. (with a report from Chris Barrientos)
