ANTIQUE — Re-electionist congressman Antonio Agapito “AA” Legarda and gubernatorial candidate Paolo Javier, a former congressman, posted decisive victories in the province of Antique.
With 100 percent of election returns processed as of 11:50 p.m. last night, Legarda retained his congressional seat with 211,458 votes, far ahead of his closest rival, outgoing governor Rhodora Cadiao, who garnered 121,466 votes.
Independent candidates Toto Abiog and Mayong Petinglay trailed significantly with 1,021 and 651votes, respectively.
Meanwhile, Javier made a strong political comeback, this time as governor, with 150,492 votes, comfortably ahead of five other candidates:
* Jonathan Tan – 98,732 votes
* Edgar Denosta – 50,971 votes
* Capt. Vic Fedelicio – 16,374 votes
* Taba Gayona – 1,481 votes
* Rudy Bantolo – 1,182 votes
* Rodelo Pidoy – 949 votes
In the race for vice governor, Genevive Reyes, former mayor of Caluya, emerged as winner with 144,600 votes, outpacing:
* Nene Maye Plamares – 103,728 votes
* Edward Dy Buco – 51,374 votes
* Rosario Bantolo – 3,124 votes
Incoming governor Javier’s win is a huge reversal of political fortune. In the May 2019 midterm elections, the then graduating Antique congressman ran for governor but was defeated by then reelectionist governor Rhodora Cadiao.
In that same election, Javier’s father, former governor and congressman Exequiel Javier was defeated by then senator Loren Legarda who ran for congresswoman of the province.
This father-and-son defeat ended the 32-year Javier dynasty in Antique.
In the 2022 elections, Paolo Javier attempted a political comeback by running for congressman of the province but was defeated by AA Legarda./PN