FRANCISCO “Isko Moreno” Domagoso has regained the mayoralty post in Manila, handily beating former ally and incumbent Mayor Honey Lacuna-Pangan and Manila Rep. Sam Versoza by substantial margins in the May 12 polls.
Latest data from the transparency server of the Commission on Elections showed Moreno garnering 527,188 votes, way ahead of Lacuna-Pangan (189,725) and Verzosa (163,496).
Moreno’s eldest son, actor Joaquin Domagoso, also emerged as the number one councilor in the city’s first district based on unofficial results from the Commission on Elections.
The younger Domagoso has received 92,965 votes to lead the field of 26 candidates.
Lacuna-Pangan yesterday conceded defeat to Moreno, saying she accepted the decision of the majority.
“My dear fellow Manilenos, the elections are over, and we have witnessed another chapter of democracy. A day when we all have equal power,” Lacuna-Pangan said in Filipino in a video message posted on her social media account.
“I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to all those who trusted, helped, joined, united, and shared our stand. We humbly accept the decision of the vast majority,” she added.
Lacuna-Pangan said she also felt honored that Manilenos elected her as the first female mayor of Manila from 2022 to 2025.
In a statement, Moreno called on his rivals and Manilenos to unite, move forward, and set aside political differences now that the elections are over.
He emphasized the need for unity and burying political differences, saying it is time to focus on progress and public service.
“I would like to appeal to the parties that ran against each other in the just concluded elections to set aside our differences. The election is over, and the people have decided. Let us set aside our differences and unite, remember, at the end of the day, we are all one in this,” he said.
Moreno also assured the public that he is ready to serve everyone, including his political rivals.
He also promised to make Manila great again, adding he would pursue the various programs he put in place during his first term from 2019 to 2022. He ran but lost in the 2022 presidential polls.
He said his immediate concerns were the “garbage problem and criminality” in the city.
Moreno’s comeback hit a snag yesterday as the Board of Canvassers postponed his official proclamation due to incomplete manual ballot transmissions. Lawyer Jerico Jimenez, chair of the Board of Canvassers, said the canvassing would resume yesterday afternoon.
Versoza has also conceded defeat, saying he accepts the decision of Manilenos and thanked his supporters and those who voted for him.
“I wholeheartedly accepted the decision of the electorate. Even if the election results did not go as planned, I am still very thankful to everyone who believed, supported, and fought for me in my call for change,” he said.
Versoza congratulated Moreno for winning the mayoralty race, saying: “I wish his victory would be a victory for the city. Manila deserves nothing less than honest, transparent, and compassionate leadership.”
HANDILY REELECTED
Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte and the other incumbent mayors of Caloocan City, Malabon City, Navotas City and Valenzuela City have been reelected.
Belmonte, Caloocan City Mayor Along Malapitan, Malabon Mayor Jeannie Sandoval, and Valenzuela City Mayor Wes Gatchalian were proclaimed as winners by the Commission on Elections yesterday.
Navotas City Mayor John Ray Tiangco was proclaimed winner by the Comelec last Monday night.
Tiangco and Gatchalian ran unopposed in the elections.
Belmonte gained 1,030,730 votes or 95.56 percent of the votes cast. She ran against four opponents, including Diosdado Velasco, who placed second with 21,195 votes.
Belmonte’s running mate, Vice Mayor Gian Sotto, was also reelected after obtaining 938,686 votes.
Malapitan won against four opponents, including former Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV.
Sandoval won against a lone opponent, Malabon Rep. Jaye Lacson-Noel.
The proclaimed vice mayors of Caloocan City, Malabon City, Navotas City and Valenzuela City were Karina Teh, Edward Nolasco, Tito Sanchez, and Marlon Alejandrino, respectively.
Prominent personalities also won in the elections, including former Vice President Leni Robredo, who was proclaimed as mayor of Naga City in Camarines Sur.
Former President Rodrigo Duterte, who is detained in the Hague facing charges of crimes against humanity before the International Criminal Court, won as Davao City mayor against his former Cabinet Secretary, Karlo Nograles. Duterte’s son, outgoing Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte, won as vice mayor of the city.
Former President and reelectionist Pampanga Rep. (2nd District) Gloria Arroyo also won while retired police general Benjamin Magalong was reelected as Baguio City mayor.
Elsewhere, the local board of canvassers in Las Pinas City has proclaimed April Aguilar and Imelda Aguilar as winners in the mayoralty and vice mayoralty race.
In Muntinlupa City, reelectionist Mayor Ruffy Biazon ran unopposed. Winning the vice mayoralty race in Muntinlupa is Phanie Teves.
In Pasay City, Emi Calixto-Rubiano won her reelection bid for the mayoralty post while Mark Calixto was proclaimed as the vice mayor. Calixto-Rubiano is seeking her third and last term as Pasay mayor.
In Pateros, Gerald German and Carlo Santos were proclaimed as mayor and vice mayor of Metro Manila’s lone municipality.
In Taguig City, re-electionist Mayor Lani Cayetano handily beat her opponents, Arnel Cerafica and Brigido Licudine. Cayetano’s running mate, Arvin Ian Alit also won, beating Janella Cerafica and Nelly Tanglao.
In another race in the city, former Taguig Mayor Lino Cayetano trailed incumbent Taguig-Pateros Rep. Ading Cruz in the battle to represent the district in the House of Representatives.
BINAY IN MAKATI
Makati will remain under the rule of the Binay family after outgoing Sen. Nancy Binay defeated her brother-in-law, Luis Campos, in the mayoralty race.
Campos, the outgoing Representative of Makati’s 1st District, ran for the post to replace his wife, Abby Binay, who has completed three terms.
Abby ran for the Senate under the administration party but official and unofficial results showed she is outside the winning circle.
Partial and unofficial count of the Commission on Elections as of midnight on Tuesday showed Binay garnering 125,815 votes against the 94,546 votes of Campos, based on 77.67 percent of election returns.
But Binay’s running mate, actor Monsour del Rosario, was defeated by Campos’ running mate, Kid Pena. Pena garnered 162,408 votes against Del Rosario’s 57,822.
Nancy was proclaimed the winner yesterday afternoon by the local Commission on Elections.
The Binay family has held the reins of the city since 1986 when President Corazon Aquino appointed the family patriarch, Jejomar Binay, as officer-in-charge.
The following year, Binay won the city mayoralty post in an election.
The only time the Binays did not hold the post was from 2015 to 2016 when then-Mayor Jejomar “Junjun” Binay was dismissed from office over allegations of irregularities and graft in the construction of the Makati City Hall and an adjacent parking building.
In the 2016 elections, Abby took over the post after defeating Junjun in a race that divided the family. She anointed her husband as her successor in this year’s election.
In a brief interview with reporters last Monday, Binay said politics was not the cause of the family feud.
But she said her door is always open for reconciliation with her younger sister and her husband.
“Election is just for one day, while our sibling relationship is forever,” she said.
DUTERTE IN DAVAO
The Comelec said former President Rodrigo Duterte is not required to attend his proclamation in Davao City, where he is poised to reclaim the mayoralty post.
In an interview, Comelec Chairman George Garcia said the winning candidates are not mandated to attend their proclamation after the canvassing of votes.
“As far as the Comelec is concerned, the presence of a winning candidate is not required for him or her to be proclaimed,” said Garcia.
In a separate interview, Comelec Spokesman John Rex Laudiangco said proclamation ceremonies are not mandatory.
“The act of proclaiming the candidate by the raising of hands is merely ceremonial,” said Laudiangco.
Duterte is detained at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, Netherlands, facing charges of crimes against humanity.
Duterte has garnered a massive number of votes compared to his closest rival, former Civil Service Commission chief Karlo Nograles.
Asked if Duterte can serve as Davao City mayor despite being jailed abroad, Garcia said it is beyond the Comelec’s jurisdiction.
“If he can assume the post or have someone else temporarily assume the post, that is up to the Department of Interior and Local Government,” said Garcia.
NEW MARIKINA MAYOR
The Comelec has officially proclaimed outgoing Marikina First District Rep. Marjorie Ann “Maan” Teodoro as the newly elected mayor of Marikina City while incumbents in Pasig and San Juan are leading.
Teodoro has garnered 142,814 votes.
Her husband, outgoing Mayor Marcelino “Marcy” Teodoro, however, is still under suspension. Despite getting 75,062 votes compared to the 29,031 votes of his rival, former Sen. Koko Pimentel, the proclamation won’t be announced until the legal matter is settled.
Comelec has said that while the votes for these candidates will still be counted, no formal proclamation will be made until the poll body resolves the legal questions surrounding their eligibility.
Marcy appealed to the Comelec to respect the choice of the electorate and proceed with his immediate proclamation, saying that technicalities must not override the people’s will.
“Technicalities must never be allowed to override the sovereign will of the people,” he said. “Vox populi, vox Dei—the voice of the people is the voice of God.”
In San Juan City, incumbent Mayor Francis Zamora garnered 57,998 votes, trouncing his opponent, former basketball star Philip Cezar, who got 8,340 votes.
Zamora was proclaimed by the city’s board of canvassers early yesterday morning as the winner.
In Pasig City, incumbent Mayor Vico Sotto was proclaimed the winner of the mayoral race. As of yesterday morning, partial and unofficial results showed that Sotto had 286,897 votes, way ahead of his rivals.
In Mandaluyong City, outgoing Vice Mayor Carmelita “Menchie” Abalos has been elected as the mayor.
Abalos garnered 146,546 votes, according to partial, unofficial results as of yesterday. – With Ashzel Hachero, Victor Reyes, Gerard Naval, and Christian Oineza
