2012 Zambales's 2nd congressional district special election

Last updated

2012 special election at Zambales's 2nd congressional district
Flag of the Philippines.svg
←  2010 February 4, 2012 (2012-02-04) 2013  →
Zambales's 2nd congressional district
  No avatar.png Rep. Cheryl Deloso-Montalla (18th Congress).jpg No avatar.png
CandidateJun Omar EbdaneCheryl Delloso-MontallaRica Victoria Diaz-Arambulo
Party LM Liberal Nacionalista
Popular vote62,86756,94517,291
Percentage44.13%39.97%12.14%
Representative before election

Antonio Diaz
LM

Representative-elect

Jun Omar Ebdane
LM

A special election (known elsewhere as "by-elections") for Zambales's 2nd congressional district seat in the House of Representatives of the Philippines was held on February 4, 2012. The special election was called after incumbent representative Antonio Diaz died on August 3, 2011. Jun Omar Ebdane, son of governor Hermogenes Ebdane, won in the special election, beating Cheryl Deloso-Montalla, Diaz's opponent in the 2010 general election, Rica Victoria Diaz-Arambulo, Diaz's daughter, and two other independent candidates.

Contents

This was the closest special election in the 21st century in the Philippines.

Electoral system

Each congressional district of the Philippines sends one representative to the House of Representatives. An election to the seat is via first-past-the-post, in which the candidate with the most votes, whether or not one has a majority, wins the seat. Based on Republic Act (RA) No. 6645, in order for a special election to take place, the seat must be vacated, the relevant chamber notifies the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) the existence of a vacancy, then the COMELEC schedules the special election. There is a dispute in the procedure as a subsequent law, RA No. 7166, supposedly amended the procedure, bypassing the need for official communication from the relevant chamber of the vacancy. The COMELEC has always waited on official communication from the relevant chamber before scheduling a special election. [1]

Meanwhile, according to RA No. 8295, should only one candidate file to run in the special election, the COMELEC will declare that candidate as the winner and will no longer hold the election. [2]

Background

A member of the Magsaysay political family has served as member of the House of Representatives from Zambales since 1946 when Ramon Magsaysay was elected. Antonio Diaz, a nephew of Ramon Magsaysay, was first elected as representative in Zambales' lone district in 1969, serving until 1972 when Congress was dissolved, elected in 1984 in the Regular Batasang Pambansa, won three consecutive terms starting in 1992 for the 2nd District's seat, and another three consecutive terms starting in 2004. Diaz died on August 3, 2011, after being afflicted with pneumonia. [3]

With the seat's vacancy, the Zambales Provincial Board passed a resolution asking the House of Representatives and the Commission on Elections to call for a special election. The absence of a representative meant that the monetary incentives normally used by Diaz for scholarships was no longer given. [4] By September, the resolution filed by the provincial board was at its second reading in the House of Representatives, and that the board passed another resolution asking Speaker Feliciano Belmonte, Jr. to appoint a liaison officer to the district coming from the province. Vice Governor Ramon Lacbain said that the board is expecting the special election to be held at October. [5] By October, typhoons Pedring and Quiel ravaged the province; with no representative in Congress, the residents had no one to approach for help. [6] The Commission on Elections released a statement on November 8 that expecting the special election to be held soon. [7]

On December, the commission announced that the special election would be held on February 4. The election period would start on December 21, 2011, and end on February 14, 2012, the filing of certificates of candidacy was from January 16 to January 18, 2012, and the campaign period was from January 19 to February 2, 2012. [8]

Campaign

Names floated prior to the filing of certificates of candidacies include Rica Diaz, daughter of Diaz, Cheryl Deloso, daughter of former governor Amor Deloso, Jun Omar Ebdane, son of current governor Hermogenes Ebdane and incumbent provincial administrator, and board members Wilfredo Pangan and Alfred Mendoza. [9]

President Benigno Aquino III authorized the military and the police to implement election laws, such as a province-wide gun ban, during the election period. [10] Jun Omar Ebdane resigned as provincial administrator on January 17 in order to run for the vacant seat. [11] Ebdane was leading in election surveys, with 37% of the vote, followed closely by Deloso-Montalla and Diaz-Arambulo. [12] Meanwhile, Diaz-Arambulo has succeeded in allowing her father's scholarships to continue while the seat was vacant, working with Belmonte, who was officer-in-charge of the vacant seat. [13]

The commission issued a warning on the Ebdane and Deloso-Montalla campaigns, saying that the posters used were too large than the legally-specified size. Ebdane's supporters took down huge billboards of him in Iba, while a few of Deloso-Montalla's posters were also removed. This comes as President Aquino declared February 4 as a special non-working holiday in the province to allow the electorate to vote. [14] The commission expected a voter turnout of around 70%, while Diaz-Arambulo has complained of vote buying. [15]

On the eve of the election, a shootout between Zambales police and armed men took place at Botolan. It started when an informant called the police saying a group of armed men were harassing voters in barangay Mambog; a special reaction team of Botolan police went to the scene, but one of the gunmen named Cesar Mado opened fire to the police. The police returned fire, causing the death of Madu, a former policeman, and 10 more were injured. [16] Governor Ebdane said that he will not interfere in the investigation, although a Philippine Star source stated that Madu was a former security officer of the Delosos. [17]

Results

2012 Zambales's 2nd congressional district special election
CandidatePartyVotes%+/–
Jun Omar Ebdane Lapiang Manggagawa 62,86744.13−4.88
Cheryl Deloso-Montalla Liberal Party 56,94539.97−5.68
Rica Victoria Diaz-Arambulo Nacionalista Party 17,29112.14N/A
Wilfredo Paul PanganIndependent3,8582.71N/A
Alfred MendozaIndependent1,5121.06N/A
Total142,473100.00–
Registered voters/turnout70.95−13.57
Majority5,9224.16+0.81
Lapiang Manggagawa hold
Source: [18]

The Zambales board of canvassers started counting the votes on election night, but suspended its proceedings at around 10:00 pm to allow the election returns to arrive. The session resumed on morning the next day. The board finished its tally by 10:00 am but the documentation took more than hour to be finished; the board proclaimed Ebdane as the winner by 11:15 am. [19] Ebdane won in seven municipalities, while Deloso-Montalla won Santa Cruz and San Narciso, and Diaz-Arambulo won narrowly in San Antonio. [20] The Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting, while noting the low turnout was due to voters residing in other areas of the country not returning to the district to vote, was dismayed by the rampant vote-buying. [21]

Deloso-Montalla defeated Ebdane in the 2013 general election. [22]

2010 election result

2010 Philippine House of Representatives election at Zambales's 2nd district
CandidatePartyVotes%
Antonio Diaz Lapiang Manggagawa 76,92849.00
Cheryl Deloso-Montalla Liberal Party 71,67245.65
Alfred Mendoza Lakas Kampi CMD 8,3915.34
Total156,991100.00
Valid votes156,99192.50
Invalid/blank votes12,7257.50
Total votes169,716100.00
Majority5,2563.35
Lapiang Manggagawa hold

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1995 Philippine Senate election</span>

The 1995 election of members to the Senate of the Philippines was the 25th election to the Senate of the Philippines. It was held on Monday, May 8, 1995, to elect 12 of the 24 seats in the Senate. Filipinos protected the ballot boxes with their lives and campaigned against traditional politicians who used bribery, flying voters, violence, election rigging, stealing of ballot boxes, etc. The Philippine National Police (PNP) listed five people dead and listed more than 200 hotspots before and 300 hotspots during the election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2007 Philippine general election</span> Election in the Philippines on 2007

Legislative and local elections were held in the Philippines on May 14, 2007. Positions contested included half the seats in the Senate, which are elected for six-year terms, and all the seats in the House of Representatives, who were elected for three-year terms. The duly elected legislators of the 2007 elections joined the elected senators of the 2004 elections to comprise the 14th Congress of the Philippines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2013 Philippine general election</span> Election in the Philippines on 2013

A general election was held in the Philippines on May 13, 2013. It was a midterm election—the officials elected will be sworn in on June 30, 2013, midway through President Benigno Aquino III's term of office.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2010 Philippine presidential election</span> 15th Philippine presidential election

The 2010 Philippine presidential and vice presidential elections were held on Monday, May 10, 2010. The ruling President of the Philippines, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, was ineligible to seek re-election as per the 1987 Constitution, thus necessitating an election to select the 15th President.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2010 Philippine House of Representatives elections</span>

The 2010 Philippine House of Representatives elections were held on May 10, 2010, to elect members to the House of Representatives of the Philippines to serve in the 15th Congress of the Philippines from June 30, 2010, to June 30, 2013. The Philippines uses parallel voting for seats in the House of Representatives; a voter has two votes: one for a representative from one's legislative district, and another for a sectoral representative via closed lists under the party-list system, with a 2% election threshold and 3-seat cap, when the parties with 2% of the national vote or more not meeting the 20% of the total seats, parties with less than 2% of the vote will get one seat each until the 20% requirement is met.

Antonio Magsaysay Diaz was a politician and lawyer. He was elected to the House of Representatives of the Philippines representing Zambales for three separate tenures – 1969 to 1972, 1992 to 2001, and 2004 until his death on August 3, 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2011 Ilocos Sur's 1st congressional district special election</span>

A special election for Ilocos Sur's 1st district seat in the House of Representatives of the Philippines was held on May 28, 2011. The special election was called after incumbent representative Ronald Singson resigned on March 7, 2011, after being convicted of drug possession by the Wan Chai District Court in Hong Kong. Vigan vice mayor Ryan Luis Singson, the former representative's brother, won the election and shall serve the remainder of his brother's term which will end on June 30, 2013.

A special election for Negros Occidental's 5th district seat in the House of Representatives of the Philippines was on June 2, 2012. The special election was called after incumbent representative Iggy Arroyo died on January 26, 2012. Binalbagan Mayor Alejandro Mirasol defeated Negros Occidental Provincial Board Member Emilio Yulo III in the election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2013 Manila local elections</span>

Local elections were held in Manila on May 13, 2013, within the Philippine general election. The voters elected for the elective local posts in the city: the mayor, vice mayor, the six congressmen, and the councilors, six in each of the city's six legislative districts.

Elections were held in Central Luzon for seats in the House of Representatives of the Philippines on May 13, 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Labor Party Philippines</span> Political party in the Philippines

The Labor Party Philippines, also known as the Workers' and Peasants' Party and formerly known as the Partido ng Manggagawa at Magsasaka and the Lapiang Manggagawa, is a political party in the Philippines.

Local elections were held in Zambales on May 13, 2013, as part of the 2013 general election. Voters selected candidates for all local positions: a town mayor, vice mayor and town councilors, as well as members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, the vice-governor, governor and representatives for the Two districts of Zambales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 Philippine general election</span> Election in the Philippines on 2016

A general election in the Philippines took place on May 9, 2016, for executive and legislative branches for all levels of government – national, provincial, and local, except for the barangay officials.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 Zambales local elections</span>

The Zambales local elections was held on May 9, 2016 as part of the 2016 general election. Voters will select candidates for all local positions: a town mayor, vice mayor and town councilors, as well as members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, the vice-governor, governor and representatives for the two districts of Zambales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 Iba local elections</span>

Local elections were held in Iba, Zambales on May 9, 2016, within the Philippine general election. The voters will elect candidates for the elective local posts in the city: the mayor, vice mayor, and eight councilors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2019 Zambales local elections</span>

The Zambales local elections was held on May 13, 2019, as part of the 2019 general election. Voters will select candidates for all local positions: a town mayor, vice mayor and town councilors, as well as members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, the vice-governor, governor and representatives for the two districts of Zambales. Incumbent Governor Amor Deloso and Vice Governor Angel Magsaysay-Cheng are seeking re-election for their second term.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 Philippine gubernatorial elections</span>

Gubernatorial elections were held in the Philippines on May 9, 2022. All provinces will elect their provincial governors for three-year terms, who will be inaugurated on June 30, 2022 after their proclamation. Governors that are currently serving their third consecutive terms are prohibited from running as governors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2023 Cavite's 7th congressional district special election</span> Special election for a Philippine House of Representatives seat

A special election was held in Cavite's 7th congressional district on February 25, 2023, to fill the district's vacant seat in the House of Representatives of the Philippines for the remainder of the 19th Congress.

A special election would have been held in Negros Oriental's 3rd congressional district on December 9, 2023, to fill the district's vacant seat in the House of Representatives of the Philippines for the remainder of the 19th Congress.

References

  1. ↑ Leon, Marguerite de (October 30, 2022). "[OPINION] The special election of the 7th District of Cavite: A welcome development". RAPPLER. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  2. ↑ "EXPLAINER. House Speaker Velasco might pick a caretaker for Raul del Mar's seat. Plague and cost-saving, for government and candidates, may be cited against special election". SUNSTAR. November 18, 2020. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  3. ↑ "Zambales Rep. Antonio Diaz passes away". ABS-CBNnews.com. August 3, 2011. Retrieved February 5, 2012.
  4. ↑ "Zambales SP seeks Diaz's replacement". People's Journal . August 23, 2011. Retrieved February 5, 2012.
  5. ↑ "Congress urged to appoint liaison officer for Zambales 2nd district". SunStar . September 7, 2011. Retrieved February 5, 2012.
  6. ↑ "Zambales residents urge special poll". People's Journal . October 8, 2011. Retrieved February 5, 2012.
  7. ↑ Reyes, Jonas (November 8, 2011). "Zambales special elections forthcoming – Comelec". Manila Bulletin . Retrieved February 5, 2012.
  8. ↑ "Zambales special elections approved". Manila Standard Today . December 5, 2011. Retrieved February 5, 2012.
  9. ↑ Reyes, Jonas (January 16, 2012). "'Battle of progeny' in Zambales". Manila Bulletin . Retrieved February 5, 2012.
  10. ↑ "Police, military deputized for special Zambales elections". SunStar . January 16, 2012. Retrieved February 5, 2012.
  11. ↑ "Ebdane son quits post; joins 2nd district special elections". SunStar . January 17, 2012. Retrieved February 5, 2012.
  12. ↑ "5 vie for Zambales congressional seat". Manila Standard Today . December 25, 2012. Retrieved January 5, 2012.
  13. ↑ "Diaz scholarships continue in Zambales". Manila Standard Today . January 31, 2012. Retrieved February 5, 2012.
  14. ↑ "2 Zambales special poll bets warned on posters". Philippine Daily Inquirer . January 31, 2012. Retrieved February 5, 2012.
  15. ↑ "High turnout seen as polls take place in Zambales". Philippine Daily Inquirer . February 3, 2012. Retrieved February 5, 2012.
  16. ↑ "Man killed on eve of Zambales special polls". ABS-CBNnews.com. February 4, 2012. Retrieved February 5, 2012.
  17. ↑ Pasaylo, Jun (February 4, 2012). "Ebdane hands-off on Zambales shooting probe". Philippine Star . Retrieved February 5, 2012.
  18. ↑ "Son of Zambales gov wins special elections". Business Mirror. February 5, 2012. Retrieved February 5, 2012.
  19. ↑ Aning, Jerome (February 5, 2012). "Ebdane son wins Zambales special congressional polls". Philippine Daily Inquirer . Retrieved February 6, 2012.
  20. ↑ Reyes, Jonas (February 5, 2012). "Young Ebdane Wins Zambales Polls". Manila Bulletin . Retrieved February 6, 2012.
  21. ↑ "Ebdane's son is new Zambales 2nd district rep". GMA News Online. February 5, 2012. Retrieved February 20, 2012.
  22. ↑ Gonzaga, Robert (May 14, 2013). "Ebdane son concedes Zambales Congress fight". newsinfo.inquirer.net. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.