Big splash in JoMol’s return to city council, but Domogan defeat is bigger prize

May 14, 2022 Metro BLISTT

He came back storming. He was almost at the top this time and his second-place finish is a far cry from his “almost made it” debut in the 2007 elections.
Jose Molintas garnered 69,862 nods and placed behind incumbent Benny Bomogao, who had a whopping 71,441 votes. Right behind him is fellow TROPA member Arthur Allad-iw, who will be completing his three-term as a city council member.
At fourth is incumbent Betty Lourdes Tabanda (67,108), followed by the returning Leandro Yangot, Jr. (66,130), and followed by another ka-TROPA, incumbent Isabelo Cosalan, Jr. (65,398) to form the upper six.
At seventh is the only female member of TROPA, incumbent Mylen Yaranon (62,408), two returnees follow her – Elmer Datuin (60,844) and Peter Fianza (60,623) who fought for the higher spot throughout and so the 221 votes that separate them.
The 10th to 12th spots are occupied by incumbents – Vladimir Cayabas (58,783), Fred Bagbagen (58,300), and Leah Farinas (58,145).
The 12 were ceremoniously proclaimed by the Commission on Elections Board of Canvassers led by lawyer Reyman Solbita Tuesday morning, nearly 12 hours after those made for the “Big Three” – congressman, mayor and vice mayor – “as the number of remaining votes would not affect the outcome.”
“Unlike in the city council where the 10,000 unaccounted votes could affect the placements of the aspiring councilors,” added Solbita at around 11PM on Monday before proclaiming the three amidst the cheers of the three officials supporters cryng “Go”, “Benjie” or “Olowan”.
Legacy Comes to a Grinding Halt Len Ortega failed to carry on the “markang Bungo” trademark of the late former councilor and Baguio City Police Office chief Roberto Ortega after a 13th place finish.
She replaced son, Robert, who took over the seat when the police chief died in 2015, as the young Ortega wanted a break politics. She had 54,223.
Her 13th place finish is reminiscent of the 13th place finish of former three term councilor and former councilor Erdolfo Balajadia in 2016. Balajadia’s mother Sofia Reyes was a councilor in the late 70s, while brother, the late Delfin, served as councilor until 2004 and whom he replaced.
At 14th is long-time Mauricio Domogan aide Ryan Mangusan (48,225) and at 15th is incumbent Philian Weygan-Alan (45,275).
SOCE No Way
But Molintas said that his big splash in his return bid for a city council seat is overshadowed by the defeat of a long-time rival, Mauricio Domogan, who lost to incumbent Benjamin Magalong for the top post. Molintas and the TROPA group is allied with Magalong’s Good Governance troop.
“I consider that the biggest victory,” said the FLAG lawyer, who ran against the long-time Baguio top politician the past four elections in the hope to end the more than 30-years of public service.
It was Molintas who filed with the Comelec a case against Domogan for failing to file or sign his Statement of Contributions and Expenditures after the 2013 elections.
Domogan, who was tagged as one of the 545 politicians who are barred from holding public office perpetually, was able to prove he filed his SOCE with the Comelec Finance Office by justifying that he paid the PhP80,000 rent for the use of the Baguio Lions Club office as headquarters.
However, Molintas said that he will still file a case for over expenditure.
“By adding the PhP80,000 rent, then he went above the required expenditure a candidate must spend for the duration of the campaign,” said Molintas Monday night smelling a clean victory for him and was the first of the winning councilors to arrive at the Baguio Convention Center where the canvasing and tallying is done and eventual proclamation.
Molintas is one of the returning councilors along with Yangot, Datuin and Fianza replacing the younger Robert Ortega, who did not run in favor of his mother, and Weygan-Alan as well as the graduating councilors Elaine Sembrano and Joel Alangsab, who both failed in their bids for vice mayor.
Meanwhile, Rep. Marquez Go shut down former Rep. Nicasio Aliping, Jr. to earn his third term to represent the city to Congress. Go had a shade below 100,000 with 99,372 votes, while Aliping is a distant second with 30,156 nods. Three other candidates ran for the post and garnered less than a thousand votes each.
Magalong earned his second term after beating Domogan, a former two time three termer mayor and former three termer congressman. Magalong earned 70,342 votes against the 53,198 of Domogan.
Former vice mayor Edison Bilog is third with 12,061 votes, while disqualified and perennial candidate Jeffrey Pinic came out with an interesting number of votes – 333.
Faustino Olowan, meanwhile, won convincingly against three of his colleagues in the city council with 65,897 votes. His closest pursuer is Michael Lawana, the Association of Barangay Council president garnered who has 27,177 votes, while Alangsab and Sembrano had 19,465 and 13,368 votes.
Pigeon Lobien/ABN