Unopposed Zambales mayor withdraws, substituted by brother

FUTURE MAYOR Elvis Ragadio Soria, a former mayor of San Marcelino, Zambales, casts his vote at San Guillermo Elementary School on Monday morning. He was running for town councilor but becomes the last-minute substitute for his brother, incumbent and unopposed Mayor Elmer Soria, who withdrew his candidacy a day before the elections due to an unspecified illness. —SAN MARCELINO PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE

SAN ANTONIO, ZAMBALES—San Marcelino Mayor Elmer Soria, 64, who was running unopposed for reelection, has withdrawn his candidacy due to illness, a development only widely known in the town on Election Day itself on Monday.

His younger brother, Elvis Soria, 61, the town’s former mayor, has been named as his substitute.

In a phone interview, Elvis confirmed Elmer is currently hospitalized, though he declined to disclose details about his condition.

Municipal Election Officer Mary Ann Salinas said they received the Commission on Elections (Comelec) law department’s memorandum regarding Elmer’s withdrawal and substitution on Sunday, with all concerned candidates and political parties having been duly informed.

Mere formality

Since official ballots had been printed before the substitution, Salinas explained that votes cast for Elmer will automatically be credited to Elvis. However, votes for Elvis as a municipal councilor will no longer be counted following his withdrawal from that race.

The election proved to be a mere formality for Elvis since he, like several local candidates in the Cagayan Valley, ran unopposed and needed only a single vote to secure victory.

In Quirino province, reelectionist Gov. Dakila Carlo Cua and his wife, Rep. Midy Cua, faced no challengers. Similarly, Nagtipunan Mayor Noel Lim ran unopposed.

In Isabela, Gov. Rodolfo Albano III stood uncontested after all his opponents were declared nuisance candidates. Also unopposed were 3rd District Rep. Ian Dy, Angadanan Mayor Joelle Panganiban, Cabagan mayoralty candidate Milet Albano-Mamauag, Delfin Albano Mayor Thomas Pua Jr. and Quezon Mayor Daryl Gascon.

In a notable political reshuffle within the Dy family, incumbent 6th District Rep. Faustino “Inno” Dy V was unopposed for Echague mayor, while his brother, Echague Mayor Francis Faustino Dy, was the lone bet for the vice governorship. Their father, Vice Gov. Faustino Dy III, was unopposed for the 6th district congressional seat.

Although facing four opponents in the mayoral race in Naga City, former Vice President Leni Robredo is poised to win the local elections.

She refused the priority lane when it was offered to her at her polling precinct and opted to wait for almost two hours in line to cast her vote on Monday

Robredo, who turned 60 in April, refused to use her privilege as a senior citizen, saying she “is still able and strong enough.”

She ran against Luis Ortega, former Pandan (Catanduanes) Mayor Restituto de Quiros, Leonida Abrazado and Diego Coner Sr.