PROCLAIMED WINNERS. North Cotabato Governor-elect Nancy Catamco (left) with board member-elect Dr. Krista Piñol (right) after the Thursday morning (May 16) proclamation of winners. Catamco edged her closest rival, Mayor Roger Taliño of Carmen town, by over 3,500 votes to clinch the gubernatorial position. (Photo courtesy of Governor-elect Nancy Catamco)
KIDAPAWAN CITY -- Outgoing North Cotabato 2nd District Representative Nancy Catamco was proclaimed Thursday as governor after closely defeating Mayor Roger Taliño of Carmen town by more than 3,500 votes.
Catamco was proclaimed at 5 a.m. by the Provincial Board of Canvassers (PBOC) after getting 272, 249 votes as against Taliño’s 268,718 votes.
“This is our victory, change is now happening in our beloved North Cotabato,” said Catamco after lawyer Jay Gerada, acting North Cotabato election supervisor and PBOC chair proclaimed her.
Catamco, a Manobo, is known during the campaign period as “Ang Diwata ng Mt. Apo.”
Also proclaimed was Dr. Krista Piñol, daughter of Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol, as the topmost board member representing the province’s second district.
Vice Governor-elect Emmylou Talino-Mendoza, the outgoing provincial governor-daughter of Mayor Taliño, and other board members-elect did not show up at the proclamation program held at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan session hall at the provincial capitol in Barangay Amas here.
The board also proclaimed Joel Sacdalan as Congressman-elect of North Cotabato’s first district, Rudy Caoagdan for the second district, and Jose Tejada for the third district. (PNA)
