Aklan SP : Two reelectionists, three newcomers in Western side
BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL / Panay News

Newly elected Aklan SP members Jose Enrique Miraflores, Phoebe Clarice Cabagnot, Victor Manuel Garcia, reelectionists Selwyn Ibarreta and Gerick Templonuevo were proclaimed by the provincial board canvassers / PHOTO BY BOY RYAN ZABAL

KALIBO, Aklan - Two Sangguniang Panlalawigan reelectionists along with three neophytes led the final tally of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in the western side of Aklan.

Based on the official results released by Comelec, Jose Enrique Miraflores of Lakas-Kampi, son of incumbent Aklan Rep. Florencio Miraflores, got the highest number of votes with 58,355. Reelectionist Selwyn Ibarreta, also of Lakas-Kampi is in second with 55,781 votes.

Phoebe Clarice Legaspi-Cabagnot of Partido ng Masang Pilipino, daughter of the late Aklan Governor Corazon Cabagnot, came in third place with 48,136 votes. Another reelectionist Gerick Templonuevo of Lakas-Kampi is in fourth place with 46,029 votes.

Ibajay councilor Victor Manuel Garcia, son of the late Aklan Governor Roberto Garcia, Sr. of Partidong Masang Pilipino came in fifth with 37,897 votes. Malinao mayor Dominador Ilio, Jr. of Lakas-Kampi is at sixth place with 35,034 votes.

In seventh place is reelectionist Ramon Gelito of Nacionalista Party with 34,322 votes. Former board member Romeo Inocencio of Nacionalista Party is at eighth place with 32,449 votes and in ninth place is Makato councilor Dino Ta-ay with 15,464 votes and 10th, with 6,732 votes is Nelia Sancho of Partidong Masang Pilipino.

Only the top five are entitled to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan seats to represent the western side comprising the towns of Buruanga, Ibajay, Lezo, Makato, Malay, Malinao, Nabas, Numancia and Tangalan.

Meanwhile, incumbent Aklan Governor Carlito Marquez of Lakas-Kampi is the frontrunner in the gubernatorial race in the western side getting 74,757 votes against lawyer Leovigildo Mationg of Lapiang Manggagawa, who got 20,674. Another candidate, Anthony Acevedo, garnered 2,920 votes.

Vice Governor Gabrielle Calizo-Quimpo of Nacionalista Party widened his lead with 52,849 votes against former Ibajay mayor Roberto Garcia, Jr. of Partidong Masang Pilipino, who received 37,762 votes in nine municipalities comprising the western side.

Both candidates obtained identical 9,137 votes in Ibajay, considered the bailiwick town of Garcia. Quimpo, however, had a wide margin of 43,712 votes against the 28,625 votes of Garcia in the remaining eight towns.

Reelectionist Florencio Miraflores, who is unopposed in the lone congressional district of Aklan, obtained 83,643 votes in the western side. Miraflores has been the congressman from 2004 and governor for three terms from 1995 to 2001.

The proclamation of winners by the Comelec is scheduled this morning at the Aklan Sangguniang Session hall.