BALER, Aurora – Outgoing Vice
Gov. Gerardo Noveras was officially proclaimed Tuesday night as the duly
elected governor in Aurora, heralding the changing of the guard in the Capitol
in this province where the Angaras are the political kingpins.
Noveras
was proclaimed by the Provincial Board of Canvassers led by Commission on
Elections provincial election supervisor, lawyer Jocelyn Postrado at the packed
session hall of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan at 11 pm Tuesday along with his
allies board members-elect Bobong Ong and Mariano Tangson.
A
few minutes later, congressional chief of staff Rommel Angara was also
proclaimed duly elected vice governor over former Baler mayor Emil Etcubanez
and her aunt, outgoing three-term Gov. Bellaflor Angara-Castillo as winner in
the race for the lone House seat.
Noveras
of the Nationalist People’s Coalition garnered 47,167 votes as against the
37,312 of his rival, outgoing three-term Baler Mayor Arthur Angara of Laban ng
Demokratikong Pilipino.
Noveras
won in five of the province’s eight municipalities, including a margin of 4,000
in his hometown Maria Aurora. He lost in the towns of Dingalan, Dinalungan and
in this town.
Noveras’
midnight proclamation was made even with the results in the town of Dilasag not yet
transmitted to the provincial canvassing center here after it was erroneously
reported in a television station that the Comelec proclaimed Mayor Angara as
duly elected governor.
The
controversial report of TV 5 was personally watched by the vice governor
himself.
This
prompted Noveras to file a motion for his proclamation on the ground that it is
no longer possible to affect the outcome of the elections even without the
results in Dilasag. The PBOC granted the request.
Noveras said Mayor Angara conceded
defeat and congratulated him. “He relayed to me his wish that I would continue
to pursue the vision for development of the Angaras,” he said. – Manny Galvez
