3 of 4 incumbents in Agusan del Sur towns win

SAN FRANCISCO, Agusan del Sur (MindaNews / 14 May) — Three incumbent mayoral candidates seeking reelection in Agusan del Sur emerged victorious in hotly contested polls and were officially proclaimed by local election officials.

Winners of the election in Agusan del Sur smile during the proclamation at the DO Plaza Memorial Capitol Building in Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur. MindaNews photo by CHRIS V. PANGANIBAN

The only casualty was Mayor Jose Cuyos in the gold mining town of Rosario, who was toppled by his bitter rival, former mayor Jupiter Abulog, who won by over 8,000 votes, 19,651 to 11,225, in the official votes counted.

Abulog’s running mate, Armando Hambala, emerged winner with 12,321 votes against incumbent Eddie de Paz, who garnered 10,465 votes, while Cuyos’ running mate, municipal councilor Rex Fuentes, came in third place, gathering 6,701 votes.

Both Cuyos and Abulog were millionaire operators of gold mining tunnels.

The other incumbents who won were Mayor Pauline Marie Masendo of the municipality of Talacogon, Mayor Michael Lim of neighboring La Paz, and Mayor Thelma Lamanilao of Sibagat.

Mayoral bets in 7 of the 13 towns of Agusan del Sur ran unopposed.

In Agusan del Sur’s lone city of Bayugan, Mayor Kirk Asis sought reelection with his brother Tata as his running mate. They won overwhelmingly, garnering 44,281 and 39,528 votes, respectively, against their opponents—lawyer Ferdinand Marcus Bañosia got 4,253 votes in the mayoral race, and his running mate Henry Encendencia with 7,176 votes.

In Sta, Josefa town, mayoralty bet Richard Plaza won with10,881 votes against independent solo opponent Brad Go, who garnered 2,453 votes.

In Loreto town, the administration mayoralty bet Alvin Otaza handily won with 17,893 votes against independent candidate Angie Labradones who only got 496 votes.

Reelectionist Gov. Santiago Cane Jr., a native of Bayugan City, was challenged by a town-mate, Edgard Engles, a Christian church pastor who garnered 37,097 votes against the governor’s 221,207.

Cane’s running mate, Patricia Anne Plaza, who ran unopposed, garnered 213,560 votes.

The candidates in the province’s two congressional districts ran unopposed, too. Rep. Alfel Bascug (1st District) had 109,238 votes, while Rep. Eddibong Plaza, Patricia Anne Plaza’s uncle, had 130,965 votes. (Chris V. Panganiban / MindaNews)