IN NUMBERS: Isko Moreno’s slate dominates Manila City Council

2 weeks ago 10

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It was a landslide victory not just for Isko Moreno’s comeback bid for Manila City Hall, but for his entire slate, too. Moreno’s team dominated the city council elections.

Moreno’s pick for vice mayor, Chi Atienza, unseated incumbent Vice Mayor Yul Servo Nieto. A newcomer to politics, Chi is a broadcast journalist and the daughter of former Manila mayor Lito Atienza.

Out of the 36 city council seats, 25 went to Moreno’s allies. Ten were won by candidates from outgoing Mayor Honey Lacuna’s slate, while the sole independent to clinch a seat was Ryan Ponce.

Moreno’s son and actor Joaquin Domagoso is also sitting at the session hall as councilor of the 1st District. He placed first in the six-way race with 114,262 votes.

Aside from Chi, another Atienza earned a seat in the city council: 3rd District Councilor Maile although she ran under Lacuna’s slate.

The Lacuna family suffered major losses. Aside from the outgoing mayor, her brother, 6th District Councilor Philip Lacuna, also failed his reelection bid, placing 7th in a six-seat race.

Throughout the campaign, Moreno criticized what he called a political “family affair” at city hall, pointing out that at least five Lacuna family members held positions in the local government. He vowed to remove Manila City Health Officer Dr. Arnold Pangan — Mayor Lacuna’s husband — if reelected.

Moreno accused Pangan of making healthcare less accessible to seniors, slamming the online reservation system he implemented in health centers as discriminatory to those without smartphones, internet access, or digital literacy.

Darwin Sia of Moreno’s Aksyon topped the race for councilors in the 2nd District with 72,745 votes. The Commission on Elections (Comelec), however, disqualified Sia over a 2014 conviction for electricity pilferage, or connecting to the power distribution system without authorization from the electric utility.

Sia, however, secured a temporary restraining order from the Supreme Court, halting the Comelec’s decision to cancel his certificate of candidacy.

In the 3rd District, only one of Moreno’s picks — Tol Zarcal — won a seat. Among those Moreno allies who failed to make it was controversial blogger Mocha Uson, whose campaign drew criticism over a “sexually suggestive” jingle. Reelectionist Councilor Jong Isip secured reelection and topped the race in the said district.

Other candidates supported by Moreno also led the race in their respective districts: Lady Quintos in the 4th District, Che Borromeo in the 5th District, and Lou Veloso in the 6th District.

Congressional seat

The six congressional seats were split evenly between the camps of Lacuna and Moreno.

Erix Dionisio of Lakas-CMD, an ally of Moreno, secured reelection with 109,495 votes. As a member of the House of Representatives, he voted to impeach Vice President Sara Duterte. Unlike other congressmen who supported the impeachment and became targets of Duterte’s negative campaigning, Dionisio was spared.

Duterte and Moreno have close ties. She backed Moreno’s mayoral bid, and he hosted her during campaign sorties to campaign for Duterte-aligned senatorial candidates.

In a tight race, Manila 2nd District Representative Rolando Valeriano, who ran under Mayor Honey Lacuna’s slate, secured reelection with 59,865 votes, edging out rival Carlo Lopez, who garnered 53,650 votes.

Valeriano’s privilege speech against Duterte triggered a House probe into her alleged misuse of public funds. During a campaign sortie, Duterte went to Valeriano’s turf, openly mocked him, and endorsed his opponent.

It was also a close fight in the 3rd District, where Congressman Joel Chua won reelection with 55,007 votes, narrowly beating Duterte-endorsed councilor Apple Nieto, who got 51,283 votes.

In Chua’s turf of Quiapo, Duterte cursed the congressman during a campaign rally. Chua chaired the House committee that investigated Duterte’s alleged misuse of public funds, and he is among the lawmakers set to serve as prosecutors in her Senate impeachment trial.

Under Lacuna’s Asenso Manileño slate, Dr. Giselle Maceda won with 54,446 votes, replacing her term-limited husband, Edward Maceda.

In the 5th District, Congressman Irwin Tieng secured reelection against former congressman Amado Bagatsing. Tieng, a member of Lakas-CMD, ran under Lacuna’s slate and also voted to impeach Duterte.

Benny Abante, another Manila congressman who had investigated former president Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs, failed to secure reelection.

During a campaign rally in Sta. Ana, Duterte joined Moreno on stage and insulted Abante, flashing an unflattering photo of him. Duterte backed Abante’s rival, Joey Uy, who won in a tight race.