Dynasts fall in parts of NCR

DYNASTS were toppled in parts of the National Capital Region, according to results of the local race in this year’s midterm elections.

Former vice-mayor and basketball player Francis Zamora’s mayoral candidacy served to end the Estrada family’s decades-long dominance in San Juan City with 35,060 votes as against the 24,813 votes of Janella Estrada, the daughter of senatorial candidate Jinggoy E. Estrada. Mr. Estrada himself is trailing behind in the senatorial race at the 15th slot as of this reporting.

Three members of the Ejercito-Estrada family have led the city in the past. Former president Joseph E. Estrada ruled San Juan mayor from 1969 to 1986, while his son and reelectionist Senator JV Ejercito held the position for three consecutive terms from 2001 to 2010. He was succeeded by his mother Guia G. Gomez.

Mr. Zamora ran under the ruling PDP-Laban. His father Ronaldo won the congressional seat of the lone district of San Juan.

Just like his granddaughter, the elder Mr. Estrada failed in his reelection bid in Manila to that city’s vice-mayor, Francisco “Isko” Moreno Domagoso, who took the lead in the mayoral race with 354,327 votes over Mr. Estrada’s 210,407 votes.

Pasig City will also have a new mayor in city councilor Vico Sotto, nephew of Senate President Vicente Sotto III and son of comedian and songwriter Vic Sotto. The younger Mr. Sotto won by 206,226 votes against the 119,726 votes of incumbent Mayor Robert Eusebio, whose family ruled the city for 27 years.

On the other hand, Makati City will still be led by its incumbent mayor Abigail Binay-Campos, who got 179,522 votes as against the 98,653 votes of her brother, former mayor Jejomar “Junjun” S. Binay Jr.

The family’s patriarch and longtime mayor, former vice-president Jejomar C. Binay, had an unprecedented defeat in his congressional bid in Makati’s first district, with rival Romulo “Kid” Peña securing 71,035 votes as against his 65,229 votes.

The Cayetano family of Taguig is poised to keep its hold on the city with three members leading the race in different posts.

Former Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter S. Cayetano and his wife incumbent Taguig Mayor Maria Laarni “Lani” L. Cayetano are leading the city’s congressional elections in the first and second district.

Alan Peter’s brother Lino S. Cayetano is leading in Taguig’s mayoral race. — Vince Angelo C. Ferreras