Five candidates belonging to known political clans in Cavite, one of the most vote-rich provinces in the country, won the top positions at stake with the Provincial Board of Canvassers already proclaiming the winners in the province’s 19 towns and four cities since Tuesday.

Commission on Elections (Comelec) Supervisor Juanito V. Ravanzo Jr. led officials in the proclamation rites at the Legislative Building of the Provincial Capitol in Trece Martires City, including that of Juanito Victor “Jonvic” C. Remulla Jr. as the new provincial governor.

Remulla is a son of former Gov. Johnny Remulla and brother of 7th District Representative Jesus Crispin Remulla.

Outgoing Governor Ayong S. Maliksi is now the newly-elected representative in the reconstituted congressional district of Imus.

Joseph Emilio Abaya, a great grandson of Gen. Emilio F. Aguinaldo, is now the 1st District representative.

Strike B. Revilla and Lani Mercado-Revilla of Bacoor are now its mayor and congresswoman, respectively.

In Imus, all Liberal Party candidates vying for various posts won, except for incumbent Mayor Emmanuel L. Maliksi and a council seat aspirant.

Proclaimed Wednesday as the new mayor, was Engineer Homer T. Saquilayan, a former two-term mayor of Imus town and cousin of Maliksi. (Anthony Giron)

LAGUNA
LAGUNA – Actor Dan Fernandez garnered a total vote of 219,239 to be reelected as representative of the 1st congressional district, here. His closest rival, former congressman Uliran Joaquin, only got 69,715 votes.

Fernandez was proclaimed Wednesday by the Provincial Board of Canvassers.

Incumbent Sta. Rosa City Mayor Arlene Arcillas-Nazareno and her runningmate Councilor Arnel D.C. Gomez were officially proclaimed Wednesday as mayor and vice mayor, respectively.

Nazareno won via landslide with 71,374 votes as against her closest rival, former mayor Joey Catindig, who only snared 20,748 votes. Gomez defeated incumbent Vice Mayor Manuel Alipon with a margin of 4,531 votes.

In San Pedro, re-electionist Mayor Calixto Cataquiz obtained 60,325 votes while his closest rival, former Mayor Fely Vierneza got only 29, 725 votes.

But Cataquiz’s runningmate and incumbent Vice Mayor Celso Ambayec was defeated by Barangay San Vicente Chairman Norvic Solidum by a margin of 6,538 votes. (Ferdinand F. Castro)

RIZAL
RIZAL PROVINCE – With the results of the partial unofficial tally coming in, Rizal Governor Casimiro “Jun” Ynares, III seems headed for a big win against rival, Rodriguez Mayor Pedro Cuerpo.

Based on the Comelec’s partial and unofficial count as of 9:27 a.m. yesterday, Ynares has 387,365 votes as against Cuerpo’s 146,455. The figure represents votes cast in various parts of the province excluding Antipolo, and Tanay.

In Antipolo City, re-electionist Mayor Danilo Leybe, along with his runningmate Susan Garcia-Say and their supporters, was proclaimed by Comelec officials at Dimasalang Park Wednesday.

Exit polls showed him enjoying a mile-long lead over his rival, 2nd District Rep. Angelito Gatlabayan, with a margin of over 20,000 votes.

Gatlabayan’s protest and petition to stop the canvassing and proclamation was brushed aside by the Comelec.

In Taytay, informally known as “Erap country,” re-electionist Mayor George Ricardo Gacula II, of the Liberal Party, has been proclaimed by the municipal board of canvassers.

He garnered 31,998 votes or 67 percent of the local electorate. His closest rival, Joey Calderon only got 17,978 votes. (Nel B. Andrade and Madelynne Dominguez)

BATANGAS
In Batangas, actress and Governor Vilma Santos won a fresh mandate after scoring a landslide victory in the poll over her closest rival, Edna Sanchez who came in as a late replacement for her husband, former governor Armand Sanchez who died during the campaign.

ABS-CBN News Channel reported that Santos garnered a total vote of 498,180 while Sanchez only scored a little over 312,100 votes.