Local News: Mirasol Is It!

Former Binalbagan town Chief Executive Alejandro ""Bebot" Mirasol, uncle of his rival for congressman in the Fifth District of Negros Occidental along to a rightly-contested special election was proclaimed as the winning candidate in the congressional special polls which was conducted in the province last Saturday, June 2.

Mirasol led by a comfortable margin in the Commission on Elections (COMELEC), tabulation of votes accounting for 81,982 votes to Yulo’s 68,879 or 13,103 vote margin which political analysts said, indicated that he put up a good fight.

Known as Emilio Bernardo Yulo III in official COMELEC tabulation sheets, the provincial board member and former provincial vice-governor will retain his present seat, according to COMELEC rules and regulations.

Out of 206,521 registered voters in the fifth district which comprised the municipalities of Binalbagan, Himamaylan City, Hinigaran, La Castellana, Moises Padilla and Isabela towns, a total of 151,611 legitimate voters cast their ballots. The percentage of voter’s turnout was 73.41 percent who voted for Mirasol and 45.43 percent who voted for Yulo.

What was noticeable was that of their bailiwicks, Mirasol of Binalbagan town led Yulo by a wide margin compared to Yulo’s perceived bailiwicks where his mother-in-law Mencit Bascon and brother-in-law Ernesto Agustin "Tinto" Bascon are vice mayor and mayor, respectively, and naturally worked hard and campaigned for him. In Himamaylan City, though, Yulo led Mirasol by 6,700 votes but in the latter’s bailiwick of Binalbagan where he was the former mayor, he led Yulo by 15,163 votes as Mirasol got 18,823 to Yulo’s 3,660 votes, or a margin of 15,163 votes.

In Hinigaran town, both were in a neck-to-neck electoral race with Yulo garnering 15,435 votes to Mirasol’s 15,250 votes or a margin by the provincial board member of just 185 votes.

In Isabela town, Mirasol led Yulo by another 300 votes, while in Moises Padilla town, Mirasol had 7,863 votes to Yulo’s 7,205 votes or a margin of 658 votes.

In La Castellana town, Mirasol led Yulo by a much higher 14,070 votes to 10,104 for Yulo or a margin of 3,966 votes.

Political analysts surmise that in the regular elections come 2013, in May, Mirasol would be the man to beat as he would by then be able to consolidate his political hold and carry out his projects which could win the electorate’s votes in the fifth district of the province.

Had Mirasol underestimated Yulo to the point of being slack in his campaign, he could have been left behind, political analysts added.

Reports said that the politically-powerful Peña-Montilla families supported Yulo including Fourth District Congressman Jeffrey Ferrer. This accounted for the inordinate electoral strength of Yulo.

Yulo will retain his provincial board seat based on COMELEC election rules.

COMELEC Chairman Sixto Brilliantes was present a few days before and after the special elections in the fifth district.*