There is a unique twist to a usual boring
political landscape of the Province of Agusan del Norte. For decades, the
Amante family has been lording over the Province in a routine fashion. The seed
of their dominance was planted by their patriarch, Edelmiro Amante Sr. fondly
called “Edel” by people close to him. Edel ushered his political career as a
young lawyer running for Assemblyman of the Province under the ruling Marcos
KBL party in the 1984 Batasang Pambansa elections. The rest is history.
These 2016 Elections however have a bizarre
twist. Governor Angel Amante and his brother Congressman Erlpe John Amante
parted ways. Though they did not confront each other head on, they fielded
candidates against each other, mostly from their loyal allies. The separation
put all their allies in disarray choosing whom to support between them. Looking
at the respective lineups of their candidates, one can get confused as old
friends and old allies found themselves in opposite camps, looking like a
comedy of errors.
Congressman Erlpe Amante (NP) however
retained his seat by beating Cabadbaran City Mayor Dale Corvera (LP), the
surrogate candidate of Angel Amante. Erlpe Amante garnered 70,937 votes against
Dale Corvera’s 62,058. On the other
hand, Governor Angel Amante beat Sangguniang Panlalawigan member Sadeka
Tomaneng-Garcia for the top post of the Province. Angel Amante had 80,493 votes
while Tomaneng-Garcia was behind with her 67,282 votes. For the Vice Governor
race, Angel’s runningmate Rambu Bungabung (LP) won over Roy Orlando Doyon (NP)
70,449 to 66,427.
However, looking at the results, it is
conclusive that Congressman Erlpe Amante won the family feud. While Angel and
Rambu won, they lost the Sangguniang Panlalawigan as Erlpe John Amante’s NP got
5 seats as against only 3 seats for LP.
The pro Erlpe SP Members are Sal Cuasito, Dick Carmona, Daday
Espina-Jundis, Dan Racaza and Lilibeth Musico. Angel Amante have veteran SP
Member Aquino Gambe, Babette Calo and incumbent Butuan City Councilor Erwin
Dano.
Erlpe’s dominance over Angel is also apparent
in the number of Mayors who won. Of the Province’s 11 municipalities, 8 Mayors
allied with Erlpe won while only 3 for Angel. Erlpe mayors won in Carmen,
Nasipit, Magallanes, Remedios T. Romualdez, Tubay, Jabonga, Kitcharao and
Cabadbaran City while pro Angel Mayors won in Buenavista, Santiago and Las
Nieves.
Here are the complete results of Agusan del
Norte Elections
PROVINCIAL
GOVERNOR AGUSAN DEL NORTE
RESULTS AS OF: 05/31/2016 11:19 AM
|
CANDIDATE
|
VOTES
|
|
AMANTE-MATBA,
ANGEL (LP)
|
80493
|
|
GARCIA-TOMANENG,
SADEKA (NP)
|
67282
|
PROVINCIAL
VICE-GOVERNOR AGUSAN DEL NORTE
RESULTS AS OF: 05/31/2016 11:19 AM
|
CANDIDATE
|
VOTES
|
|
BUNGABONG,
RAMBU (LP)
|
70449
|
|
DOYON,
ROY ORLANDO (NP)
|
66427
|
MEMBER,
SANGGUNIANG PANLALAWIGAN AGUSAN DEL NORTE - SECOND PROVDIST
RESULTS AS OF: 05/31/2016 11:19 AM
|
CANDIDATE
|
VOTES
|
|
CUASITO,
SAL (NP)
|
52004
|
|
GAMBE,
AQUINO (LP)
|
50974
|
|
CALO,
BABETTE (LP)
|
50731
|
|
CARMONA,
DICK VICTOR (NP)
|
50252
|
|
ESPINA-JUNDIS,
DADAY (NP)
|
50057
|
|
RACAZA,
DANRACZ (NP)
|
49713
|
|
DANO,
TRUMPETA ERWIN (LP)
|
48909
|
|
LIM,
RYAN JADE (LP)
|
48897
|
|
PUYOT,
HARRIS GLENN (NP)
|
47261
|
|
AMORA,
ANTIDIO (LP)
|
46753
|
|
PITOGO,
RODULFO (LP)
|
45220
|
|
CHAN,
BOBONG (LP)
|
44113
|
|
DEJOLDE,
LOLONG (NP)
|
42806
|
|
TALILI,
VICENTE (IND)
|
18688
|
MEMBER,
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AGUSAN DEL NORTE - FIRST LEGDIST
RESULTS AS OF: 05/31/2016 11:19 AM
|
CANDIDATE
|
VOTES
|
|
FORTUN,
LAW (LP)
|
88549
|
|
LIBARIOS,
ROAN (AKSYON)
|
75245
|
MEMBER,
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AGUSAN DEL NORTE - SECOND LEGDIST
RESULTS AS OF: 05/31/2016 11:19 AM
|
CANDIDATE
|
VOTES
|
|
AMANTE,
ERLPE JOHN (NP)
|
70937
|
|
CORVERA,
DALE (LP)
|
62058
|
