Bontoc, Mountain Province – The Provincial Board of Canvassers proclaimed last Tuesday the winning candidates for the various provincial elective posts. Proclaimed winners who shall start their mandate on July are led by unopposed congressional bet Maximo Dalog, Sr., unopposed gubernatorial candidate Kathy Jill Mayaen Luis who substituted the late governor Leonard Mayaen, and re-electionist vice governor Bonifacio Lacwasan who won over Albert Paday-os.
Given a three year reign for the provincial legislative body are Raul Lapon, Stephen Afuyog, Carino Tamang, and Alfonso Kiat-on, Sr. for the first district and Francis Tauli, Romeo Pagedped, Donato Danglose, and Salvador Dalang for the second district.
In the municipal level, three unopposed, two re-electionists, four first timers, and one returning mayoral contenders were likewise proclaimed. The unopposed candidates include Frankline Odsey of Bontoc, Johnson Bantog II of Besao and Anthony Wooden of Tadian.
In Bauko, incumbent mayor Abraham Akilit survived a close contest against former mayor Simon Lacwasan to serve his second term in the province’s most populated town. On the eastern part of the province, Natonin mayor Mateo Chiyawan won a three cornered fight to secure his third consecutive term.
Paracelis mayor Gavino Bucok was not as lucky as he lost his re-lection bid to former mayor Avelino Amangyen while mayor Clark Ngaya of Barlig failed to rewrite history when he relinquished his seat to incumbent vice mayor Genesis Changilan. In the political history of Barlig, no sitting mayor won a second term.
In one of the most closely watched contest, former National Bureau of Investigation regional director Jose Limmayog, Jr. derailed the bid of incumbent Sadanga mayor Gabino Ganggangan for a third term.
Winning the mayoralty contest in the tourist town of Sagada is neophyte politician James Pooten, Jr. who lorded it over engineer Andres Aclayan. In Sabangan, Venancio Lipawen will take the reign from graduating mayor Donato Danglose who won a seat at the provincial board.
Proclaimed vice mayors for the province’s ten municipalities are Eusebio Kabluyen (Bontoc), June Lopsoten (Besao), Alfonso Polan (Tadian), Bartolo Badecao (unopposed, Bauko), Fernandez Linggayo (Natonin), Lorenzo Carpio (Paracelis), David Osborn Fomocod (Barlig), Joseph Apopot (Sadanga), Ben Capuyan (Sagada) and Dario Esden (Sabangan).
Elected councilors in the capital town of Bontoc are Viola Okko, Esteban Nguddo, Julian Chumacog, Herman Farnican, Alsanyster Patingan, Alfredo Awichen, Alexandre Claver, and Robert Dacyon.
In Sagada, the winning councilors include Felicito Dula, Peter Tauli, David Tallusen Buyagan, Dave Gullian, Joseph Aclopen, Ezra Wadingan, Jerry Ticag, and Milton Tawali.
By Angel Baybay and Lycha Marra
