THE local elections held yesterday has shown the following virtual mayoralty race winners in the various cities and municipalities of Pangasinan, with nearly half of the votes already counted at this time:

First District
Agno: Arthur S. Cabantac (LDP) over incumbent Leticia N. Rosete (Lakas-CMD); Alaminos City: Incumbent Mayor Hernani Braganza (Lakas-CMD) over Cesar C. Manzano (Kampi); Anda: incumbent Mayor Nestor B. Pulido (Nationalist People’s Coalition) over Diony C. Carolino (Ang Kapatiran Party) ;Bolinao: Alfonso F. Celeste (Kampi) over Paul G. Tucay (Laban-LDP); Sual : incumbent Mayor John Rodney Arcinue (Lakas-CMD) over Luis E. Agbayani (LDP);
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By BEHN FER. HORTALEZA, JR.

A DOWN-THE-WIRE finish is seen in the Pangasinan gubernatorial race as leading contenders Dr. Jamie Eloise Agbayani, wife of incumbent Gov.Victor E. Agbayani and Rep. Amado T. Espino are edging each other out in the returns for the final mandate of the province’s 1.3 million registered voters.

With only about 10 per cent of the total votes officially tallied at 10 a.m. today, the fight appears even for the two in the six districts of Pangasinan. Agbayani is taking the first, third and fourth districts by slight margins in the first tallies while Espino is strong in the second. fifth and sixth districts with slight to medium vote-margins over Agbayani. Read more

THE Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) has released, as of 7 a.m. today, the first tabulations for the Dagupan City local election.

House Speaker Jose C. de Venecia is leading rival Mayor Benjamin S. Lim, 16,077-9,077 and is apparently leading his city ticket of former Immigration Commissioner Alipio Fernandez, Jr and mall magnate Belen Fernandez to victory.

Al Fernandez was polling 16,050 over Brian Lim who had 9,364 votes in the mayoralty race while Belen Fernandez is leading by a very comfortable margin her rival for the vice mayoralty post, Councilor Vladimir Mata, 20,025 to 4,399. Read more

By BEHN FER. HORTALEZA, JR.

WITH Commission on Elections official count just about to start today, unofficial first returns point to a victory for re-electionist Congressman and House Speaker Jose C. de Venecia in the fourth district of Pangasinan. He is leading his worthy rival, Dagupan City Mayor Benjie S. Lim 65%-35%.

Lim’s spirited and apparently well-funded fight against the veteran legislator provided one of the most exciting national-local fights in this election.

Lim’s son, Brian who manages the family’s Magic chain of superstores, and who was thrust into a fight with resigned Immigration Commissioner Alipio Fernandez, Jr., for the city mayoralty post. also appears to be losing to the veteran politician in most of Dagupan’s polling precincts by almost the same percentage ratio Read more