By Villamor Visaya Jr., Philippine Daily Inquirer News Correspondent
TUGUEGARAO CITY-Former Philippine National Police chief General Edgar “Egay” Aglipay was proclaimed at past 4:30 pm on May 14 as the new Cagayan governor-elect by the provincial board of canvassers.
With all the results accounted, Aglipay had tallied 258,470 votes, just 27,429 votes more than second-running Dr. Zarah Lara who got 231,041 votes and way more than incumbent Vice Governor Melvin Vargas Jr.’s 149,745 votes.
The Provincial Board of Canvassers led by Attorney Camangeg as chair, Atty. Ronnel Nicolas as vice chair, and Romel Libang, as member-Secretary administered the proclamation.
The retired police general formally knelt before the other provincial winners, especially those board members elected who are not under his One Cagayan team, and asked them for unity and set aside politics.
Aglipay posted in his Facebook account that he owed the trust to the Cagayanos for electing him governor.
“Hindi ko po ito tagumpay lamang, kundi tagumpay nating lahat. Isang panibagong yugto ng serbisyo at malasakit ang ating haharapin at sama-sama nating itataguyod ang mas progresibo, mas maayos, at mas makataong Cagayan (This is not my victory alone, but a victory for all of us. A new chapter of service and compassion unfolds before us and together, we will uphold a more progressive, more orderly, and more humane Cagayan.),” the Camalaniugan, Cagayan native said.
Aglipay was PNP chief from August 23, 2004 to March 14, 2005 and later plunged into businesses such as being the chair of EMME Security Group. His daughter, Emmeline Aglipay-Villar, has been appointed social welfare undersecretary aside from being a three-term DIWA party-list congresswoman and a former justice undersecretary. He is the father-in-law of Senator Mark Villar (Emmeline’s husband).
Aglipay banked on his votes in Tuao town–a bailiwick of his ally and incumbent three-term Governor Manuel Mamba–with 27, 641 votes as against 2,966 votes of Lara in the said town, enough to offset the higher votes of his closest rival (Lara) in Tuguegarao City, Solana, and Baggao towns.
Lara conceded defeat, posting in her Facebook post: “Ako’y taus-pusong nagpapasalamat sa inyong pagtitiwala. Hindi man ito ang wakas na inaasahan natin, ito’y simula pa lamang ng mas matatag at mas malalim na paglilingkod (I am grateful for the trust. Even though this is not the end we like, this is still the start of a firmer and deeper service).”
In the final tally for vice governor, Mamba won in a landslide victory with 348,954 votes over opponents, his cousin Leonides Fausto and former governor Alvaro Antonio.
For provincial board members, elected were Rowena Retoma, Kamille Ponce-Perez, and Atty. Romeo Garcia for the first district; Randy Ursulum, Alninoson Kevin Timbas, and Vilmer Viloria for the second district; and, AJ Ponce, Engelbert Caronan, Romar De Asis, and Odi Boy Fausto. #
Former PNP chief Edgar Aglipay is being proclaimed as governor and later knelt before winning board members under his rivals’ wings to unify under his administration at past 4:30 pm on May 14 at the provincial canvassing center at the provincial capitol in Tuguegarao City. (Cagayan PIO/Francis Jorque)
