LA TRINIDAD, Benguet — Congressman Ronald Cosalan of the Liberal Party retained his post after beating in a one-on-one fight incumbent governor Nestor Fongwan.
This will be Cosalan’s third and last term as the province’s representative in Congress.
For the gubernatorial post, former Vice Governor Cresencio Pacalso who ran as an independent candidate was declared the winner beating four other contenders.
Incumbent Board Member Florence Tingbaoen (LP) won the vice gubernatorial seat against her fellow Board Member Concepcion Balao (NUP) and independent candidate Kabayan Mayor Faustino Aquisan.
Sangguniang Panlalawigan members in District 1 are Coy Nazarro, Johnny Waguis, Bernard Waclin and Tuba Mayor Florencio Bentrez.
In district 2, winners are re-electionist Board Members Jim Botiwey and Robert Namoro, Mayor Ruben Paoad of Tublay and Mayor Roberto Canuto of Kapangan, former Board Member Apolonario Camsol and media personality Fernando “Uncle Pandong” Balaodan.
According to Benguet Provincial Election Supervisor Atty. Ricardo Lampac, the election in the province was very peaceful and orderly.
Lampac said that the challenge for this election was the difficulty in the transmission of results of the vote counting machines from the polling centers to the municipalities and to the provincial board of canvassers due to the problem on signal particularly in far-flung municipalities.
Some municipal board of canvassers had to bring election results to the Provincial Capitol in La Trinidad for manual uploading resulting to the proclamation of winners on Tuesday afternoon.
Lampac lauded the Benguet people which include the candidates and the voting public for maintaining a generally peaceful and orderly election./JDP/ RMC- PIA CAR
