By Felipe V. Celino
Mayors Vicente “Vic” Bermejo of Panay and Tito Mayo of Cuartero lost their reelection bids.
Bermejo, who was a former 3-term Capiz governor, lost to 1st District Provincial Board Member Jonathan “Sonny” Besa.
Mayo was defeated by the son of former mayor Jomarie Openiano, Stephen Openiano.
Bermejo’s running mate, former Mayor Dante Bermejo, also lost to SB Member Julius Asis for vice mayor.
But the younger Openiano’s running mate, SB Member Abner Falcis, won as Cuartero vice mayor.
Meanwhile, 12 incumbent mayors were reelected.
They are Mayors Arnold Perez of Pilar, Receliste “Tanoy” Escolin of President Roxas, Henry Tumlos of Pontevedra, Katherine Belo of Panitan, Raymond “Mon-Mon” Malapajo of Maayon, and Ronnie Dadivas of Roxas City in the 1st District.
In the 2nd District, reelected were Mayors Felipe Neri Yap of Ivisan, Jose “Joe” Villanueva of Sapian, Dante Rizal Eslabon of Sigma, Jose Jimbo Barruela of Dao, Maria Concepcion
“Khuku” Castro of Dumalag, and Mateo “Matt” Hachuela of Dumarao.
Former mayor Leodegario Labao Jr. of Mambusao, Donah Valdemar of Jamindan and Dante Palomar of Tapaz are also elected as mayors.
