TOP PHOTO: Governor-elect Jun Ebdane with family after his proclamation as winner. Left to right: Former 2nd District Rep. Jun Omar Ebdane, Gov. Ebdane, Mrs. Alma Ebdane and granddaughter, grandson, Iba Mayor Jun Rundstedt Ebdane, Mrs. Daisy Ebdane

By HENRY EMPEÑO |

IBA, Zambales — The ballots shook even the bedrock of political power in Zambales.

In last Monday’s elections, the political stranglehold maintained by the allied Deloso and Magsaysay political clans in the province finally groaned and gave way to the juggernaut posed by the newly-formed Ebdane-Khonghun alliance.

Incumbent Gov. Amor Deloso, who ran under the homegrown Makimaza party, received a total of 128,692 votes, while his running-mate, incumbent Vice Gov. Angel Magsaysay, who ran under Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP), amassed 92,364 votes. But their numbers, alas, were not enough to overturn the tide of victory that favored their rivals.

Former Gov. Hermogenes Ebdane Jr., the frontrunner for PDP-Laban in Zambales, surged ahead with 151,667 to recapture the governorship, while teammate Jay Khonghun, the mayor of Subic town, received a total of 181,402 or almost double that of Magsaysay’s votes to win the vice gubernatorial post.

MAJORITY SEATS

The Ebdane team also went on to capture eight of the 10 slots in the Zambales provincial board, 10 mayoralty seats out of the 13 in the province, six vice mayoralty seats, 56 town council posts, as well as the seat for the first legislative district.

Among those victorious under the Ebdane-Khonghun team are Board Members-elect John-John Felarca (52,952 votes), King Gutierrez (48,618), and Ike Delgado (41,676) of the First Provincial District; and Board Members-elect Renato Collado (93,207), Carolyn Fariñas (85,405), Sancho Abasta III (82,237), Hart Jeresano (74,822), and Reynaldo Tarongoy (71,167) of the Second Provincial District.

Only two board members-elect came from other parties: topnotcher July Deloso (PFP), who collected 100,814 votes; and Sam Ablola (LP), who garnered 70,845 votes.

In the municipal level, the Ebdane candidates who won mayoralty seats are: Chito Marty of Santa Cruz (15,427 votes); Napoleon Edquid, Candelaria (7,557); Billy Aceron, Paluig (13,058); Jun Rundstedt Ebdane, Iba (18,544); Bing maniquiz, Botolan (24,316); Ronald Apostol, Cabangan (6,701); William Lim, San Narciso (5,809); Elvis Soria, San Marcelino (11,841); Eleanor Doiminguez, Castillejos (10,803); and Jon Khonghun, Subic (36,519).

The winning mayors from other parties are: Arsenia Lim (PFP) of Masinloc, with 19,022 votes; Leo John Farrales (PFP), San Felipe (6,416); and Rudy Ruiz (Independent) of San Antonio (8,077).

 

CONSOLIDATING POWER

More significantly, the May 13 polls allowed the Ebdane and Khonghun camps to strengthen their own political bases with multiple victories. Aside from retaking the gubernatorial post, the Ebdanes held on to two anchor municipalities: the capital town of Iba, where Ebdane’s son Rundy won as mayor for the third time, and Ebdane’s hometown of Candelaria, where nephew Napoleon Ebdane Edquid also became third-term mayor.

Long-time Ebdane allies also remained mayor of two towns: Bing Maniquiz in Botolan, whose team wiped out all opposition in the polls; and Elvis Soria in San Marcelino, who secured seats for his vice mayor and six councilors.

The Khonghuns, meanwhile, solidified their power in local politics: Patriarch Jeffrey (NP), a three-term Subic mayor before yielding the post to son Jay, was re-elected as representative of the First Legislative District of Zambales, while another son, incumbent provincial board member Jon (PDP-Laban), won as Subic mayor to take over the post to be vacated by brother Jay.

While yielding the vice-mayoralty seat in Subic, the Khonghun team succeeded in having all their eight teammates elected into the council.

Meanwhile, a Khonghun nephew, Jamiel Khonghun Escalona (NP), ended up with a council seat in Olongapo City by getting the third biggest number of votes among the candidates.

HEAVY LOSSES

The May 13 elections, meanwhile, exacted a heavy toll on the Delosos. In Iba, the governor’s son Ad Hebert Deloso (NPC) got beaten for the third time by Jun Rundstedt Ebdane (PDP-Laban), with a score of 18,544 against 6,303.

In the Deloso hometown of Botolan, Deloso daughter and former provincial administrator Izelle (NPC) lost to re-electionist Mayor Bing Maniquiz (PDP-Laban), with the final tally of 24,316 versus 8,626.

In San Antonio town, Deloso’s sister Estela Deloso-Antipolo (PFP), the incumbent mayor of San Antonio town, ran for a third term but lost to independent candidate Rudy Ruiz, 8,077 against 7,777.

This left only one Deloso in the winners’ circle: Cheryl (Liberal Party), daughter of the outgoing governor, who was re-elected representative of the Zambales Second Legislative District. Cheryl won against Ebdane nominee Willy Pangan, 134,801 to 57,801.

The Magsaysays suffered the same fate: Alongside Vice Gov. Angel Magsaysay’s loss, came the defeat of comebacking First District Congresswoman Mitos Magsaysay (PFP) in the hands of incumbent Rep. Jeffrey Khonghun, 115,172 versus 47,125.

In Olongapo City, Vic-Vic Magsaysay, son of Mitos and grandson of former Governor Vic Magsaysay, ran for the city council but ended up at No. 11, three slots short of the last winning place.

SECOND GENERATION

In the same way, the political party led by Olongapo’s formidable Gordon family, which was allied with the Deloso-Magsaysay combine, folded under the onslaught of the Paulino team, which was aligned with Khonghun and Ebdane.

The winning team was headed by Rolen Paulino Jr. (NP), a 28-year old lawyer who ran in place of his father, incumbent Mayor Rolen Paulino.

The younger Paulino won against Anne Gordon (Lakas), a former Zambales vice-governor and wife of former city mayor James Gordon Jr., with a turnout of 58,131 votes against 26,859.

Aside from securing the mayoralty, the Paulino team also clinched six of the eight city council posts, with the No. 1 position going to Cristabelle Marie “Tata” Paulino, younger sister of the incoming mayor, who received a total of 52,512 votes.

Significantly, the May 13 polls also resulted in the victory of several second-generation politicians In Olongapo. Aside from the Paulino siblings, the first-time candidates who made it to the winners circle are: Jamiel Khonghun Escalona, No. 3 councilor, with 43,730 votes; and Kaye Legaspi (Aksyon), No. 6 councilor, with 38,502 votes.