IP leader wins North Cotabato gubernatorial race

KIDAPAWAN CITY – An Indigenous Peoples (IP) leader who was a three-termer national lawmaker was elected governor of North Cotabato.

Rep. Nancy Catamco, former representative of North Cotabato’s second district, was proclaimed at 5 a.m. today by the provincial board of canvassers after defeating her rival, Mayor Roger Talino of Carmen, North Cotabato by 3,531 votes.

Catamco got 272,249 votes as against Talino’s 268,718 votes.

“Change is now happening in our beloved North Cotabato, I thank and congratulate all of us for a peaceful and credible election,” Catamco said, adding that she is pushing for reconciliation and healing from highly divisive election process.

Atty. Jay Gerada, acting North Cotabato election supervisor and chair of provincial board of canvassers proclaimed her and other winners at the Sangguniang Panglalawigan session hall inside the North Cotabato provincial capitol in Barangay Amas here.

Also proclaimed was Dr. Krista Pinol, daughter of Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Pinol as No. 1 board member representing the second district.

Catamco, a member of Aromanon Manobo tribe, is known during the campaign period as “Ang diwata ng Mt. Apo.”
Gov. Emmylou Mendoza who was elected as vice governor and other board members-elect in her party did not show up at the proclamation program.

The canvassing board also proclaimed Joel Sacdalan as congressman-elect of first district, Rudy Caoagdan for second district and Jose “Pingping” Tejada for third district. (Edwin O. Fernandez)