Just like most of the 81 provinces in the Philippines, voters in the Cordillera also overwhelmingly gave the mandate to the tandem of former Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte and their Senate slate.
The Bongbong-Sara tandem enjoyed a wide margin over that of their closest contenders in the provinces of Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga, and Mountain Province and the cities of Baguio and Tabuk.
But while Sen. Francis Pangilinan appears to be the second in rank in the national canvassing, Senate President Vicente Sotto III is second in the Cordillera.
As of the May 12 unofficial count for the Cordillera, Marcos got 749,912 votes compared to Robredo who got 88,501 votes or a lead of 661,411 votes.
Benguet, which has the highest voting population in the region, contributed the highest number of votes to Marcos with 166,541 votes.
Duterte got 681,993 votes compared to Sotto’s 96,634 votes or a lead of 585,359 votes.
The region’s top 12 senators are Robin Padilla – 514,033 votes; Raffy Tulfo – 415,522; Loren Legarda – 382,901; Mark Villar – 340,787; Allan Cayetano – 287,474; Sherwin Gatchalian – 278,600; Joel Villanueva – 267,479; JV Ejercito – 266,337; Chiz Escudero – 255,450; Migz Zubiri – 251,841; Jinggoy Estrada – 219,579; and Harry Roque – 213,669.
Former Ifugao governor and congressman Teodoro Baguilat, Jr., who ran under the slate of Robredo and the only Cordilleran to seek for national elective post, emerged as the top choice for senator in his home province with 80,249 votes with Padila tailing him with 58,195 votes.
Baguilat also ranked fourth in Mountain Province with 33,996 votes and 10th in Benguet with 52,272 votes.
The National Board of Canvassers is expected to proclaim the winners for senator on May 16. – Rimaliza A. Opiña
