Village chief wins mayoralty race in Sto. Tomas

ELECTED. The 12 candidates of Sto. Tomas town who win this year’s midterm elections. (davaotoday.com photo by Mart D. Sambalud)

Benigno Andamon, village captain of Tibal-og, was proclaimed as the town’s Mayor-elect with 17, 189 votes while Daniel Batosalem Jr. won the vice-mayoralty post with 27, 595 votes.

By MART D. SAMBALUD
Davao Today

STO. TOMAS, Davao del Norte, Philippines – The Municipal Board of Canvassers (MOC) here proclaimed Tuesday 12 local candidates, including an incumbent village captain, who won the 2013 midterm elections.

As the MOC convened around 3:30 PM at the Session Hall to officially proclaim the winners, the latter trooped to the Municipal Hall with their families, friends and supporters.

Benigno Andamon, village captain of Tibal-og, was proclaimed as the town’s Mayor-elect with 17, 189 votes while Daniel Batosalem Jr. won the vice-mayoralty post with 27, 595 votes.

Eight municipal councilors were also proclaimed as winners. They are Dario Romano (19, 126 votes); Mario Batosalem (18, 896 votes); Virgilio Recto (17, 029 votes); Gabriel Eric Estela (15, 557 votes); Eduardo Llorente (14, 259 votes); Cromwell Coamas (13, 976 votes), Julie Mantequilla (13, 377 votes); and Ireneo Landasan (12, 887 votes).

Esther Sison, Chairman of the Municipal Board of Canvassers (MBC) read and handed over the Certificate of Proclamation.

The proclamation rite lasted for about 30 minutes which was witnessed by members of the MBC, representatives from the Department of Education and Legal officers from the Comelec.

“Kami sa Comelec ug uban sa mga miyembro sa Municipal Board of Canvassers naga paabot sa among mainit sa congratulations sa tanang candidates na nidaug karong 2013 elections.  Hinaut unta ilang matinud-anong maserbisyohan ang katawhan sa Sto. Tomas,” said Sison.

Sison also extended her gratitude to all the people who have contributed success for the peaceful and orderly conduct of elections in Sto. Tomas town.

“Ug labaw sa tanan kini na eleksyon dili mahimong malampuson kung dili sa kooperasyon ug sakripisyo sa atong mga public school teachers na nihatag sa ilang serbisyo para sa atong lungsod,” she stressed.

Meanwhile, mayor-elect Andamon, in an interview by davaotoday.com, thanked his supporters for giving him the “noble chance” to serve the constituents of Sto. Tomas.

He said “I will live up my promises to them since I am a “maka-masa” type of leader who they can easily approach.”

Earlier, the Commission of Elections in Manila bends its provisions in proclaiming local candidates through an en banc resolution.  The said resolution authorized local BOCs to proclaim the winning candidates on the basis of the last “grouped canvass report” generated by the consolidation and canvassing system even if not all results are received.  (Mart D. Sambalud/davaotoday.com)