2012 Zambales's 2nd congressional district special election

A special election for Zambales's 2nd district seat in the House of Representatives of the Philippines was held on February 4, 2012. The special election was called after incumbent representative Antonio M. Diaz died on August 3, 2011. Jun Omar Ebdane, son of governor Hermogenes Ebdane, won in the special election, beating Cheryl Deloso-Montalla, Diaz's opponent in the 2010 general election, Rica Victoria Diaz-Arambulo, Diaz's daughter, and two other independent candidates.

2012 special election at Zambales' 2nd legislative district
February 4, 2012 (2012-02-04)
 
Candidate Jun Omar Ebdane Cheryl Delloso-Montalla Rica Victoria Diaz-Arambulo
Party PMM Liberal Nacionalista
Popular vote 62,867 56,945 17,291
Percentage 44.13% 39.97% 12.14%
 
Candidate Wilfredo Paul Pangan Alfred Mendoza
Party Independent Independent
Popular vote 3,858 1,512
Percentage 2.71% 1.06%
Representative before election

Antonio M. Diaz
Lapiang Manggagawa

 Representative-elect

Jun Omar Ebdane
Lapiang Manggagawa

This was the closest special election in the 21st century in the Philippines.

Background

A member of the Magsaysay political family has served as member of the House of Representatives from Zambales since 1946 when Ramon Magsaysay was elected. Antonio M. Diaz, a nephew of Ramon Magsaysay, was first elected as representative in Zambales' lone district in 1969, serving until 1972 when Congress was dissolved, elected in 1984 in the Regular Batasang Pambansa, won three consecutive terms starting in 1992 for the 2nd District's seat, and another three consecutive terms starting in 2004. Diaz died on August 3, 2011 after being afflicted with pneumonia.[1]

With the seat's vacancy, the Zambales Provincial Board passed a resolution asking the House of Representatives and the Commission on Elections to call for a special election. The absence of a representative meant that the monetary incentives normally used by Diaz for scholarships was no longer given.[2] By September, the resolution filed by the provincial board was at its second reading in the House of Representatives, and that the board passed another resolution asking Speaker Feliciano Belmonte, Jr. to appoint a liaison officer to the district coming from the province. Vice Governor Ramon Lacbain said that the board is expecting the special election to be held at October.[3] By October, typhoons Pedring and Quiel ravaged the province; with no representative in Congress, the residents had no one to approach for help.[4] The Commission on Elections released a statement on November 8 that expecting the special election to be held soon.[5]

On December, the commission announced that the special election would be held on February 4. The election period would start on December 21, 2011 and end on February 14, 2012, the filing of certificates of candidacy will be from January 16 to January 18, 2012, and the campaign period will be from January 19 to February 2, 2012.[6]

Campaign

Names floated prior to the filing of certificates of candidacies include Rica Diaz, daughter of Diaz, Cheryl Deloso, daughter of former governor Amor Deloso, Jun Omar Ebdane, son of current governor Hermogenes Ebdane and incumbent provincial administrator, and board members Wilfredo Pangan and Alfred Mendoza.[7]

President Benigno Aquino III authorized the military and the police to implement election laws, such as a province-wide gun ban, during the election period.[8] Jun Omar Ebdane resigned as provincial administrator on January 17 in order to run for the vacant seat.[9] Ebdane was leading in election surveys, with 37% of the vote, followed closely by Deloso-Montalla and Diaz-Arambulo.[10] Meanwhile, Diaz-Arambulo has succeeded in allowing her father's scholarships to continue while the seat was vacant, working with Belmonte, who was officer-in-charge of the vacant seat.[11]

The commission issued a warning on the Ebdane and Deloso-Montalla campaigns, saying that the posters used were too large than the legally-specified size. Ebdane's supporters took down huge billboards of him in Iba, while a few of Deloso-Montalla's posters were also removed. This comes as President Aquino declared February 4 as a special non-working holiday in the province to allow the electorate to vote.[12] The commission expected a voter turnout of around 70%, while Diaz-Arambulo has complained of vote buying.[13]

On the eve of the election, a shootout between Zambales police and armed men took place at Botolan. It started when an informant called the police saying a group of armed men were harassing voters in barangay Mambog; a special reaction team of Botolan police went to the scene, but one of the gunmen named Cesar Mado opened fire to the police. The police returned fire, causing the death of Madu, a former policeman, and 10 more were injured.[14] Governor Ebdane said that he will not interfere in the investigation, although a Philippine Star source stated that Madu was a former security officer of the Delosos.[15]

Results
2012 Philippine House of Representatives special election at Zambales' 2nd district[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
PMM Jun Omar Ebdane 62,867 44.13 −4.88
Liberal Cheryl Deloso-Montalla 56,945 39.97 −5.68
Nacionalista Rica Victoria Diaz-Arambulo 17,291 12.14 N/A
Independent Wilfredo Paul Pangan 3,858 2.71 N/A
Independent Alfred Mendoza 1,512 1.06 −4.28
Margin of victory 5,922 4.16 +0.81
Turnout 142,473 70.95 −13.57
PMM hold Swing −5.28

The Zambales board of canvassers started counting the votes on election night, but suspended its proceedings at around 10:00 pm to allow the election returns to arrive. The session resumed on morning the next day. The board finished its tally by 10:00 am but the documentation took more than hour to be finished; the board proclaimed Ebdane as the winner by 11:15 am.[17] Ebdane won in seven municipalities, while Deloso-Montalla won Santa Cruz and San Narciso, and Diaz-Arambulo won narrowly in San Antonio.[18] The Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting, while noting the low turnout was due to voters residing in other areas of the country not returning to the district to vote, was dismayed by the rampant vote-buying.[19]

Deloso-Montalla defeated Ebdane in the 2013 general election.[20]

2010 election result
Philippine House of Representatives election at Zambales' 2nd district
Party Candidate Votes %
Lapiang Manggagawa Antonio M. Diaz 76,928 49.00
Liberal Cheryl Deloso-Montalla 71,672 45.65
Lakas–Kampi Alfred Mendoza 8,391 5.34
Valid ballots 156,991 92.50
Invalid or blank votes 12,725 7.50
Total votes 169,716 100.00
Lapiang Manggagawa hold

See also
  • 1911 Zambales's congressional district special election
  • 1914 Zambales's congressional district special election

References
  1. "Zambales Rep. Antonio Diaz passes away". ABS-CBNnews.com. August 3, 2011. Retrieved February 5, 2012.
  2. "Zambales SP seeks Diaz's replacement". People's Journal. August 23, 2011. Retrieved February 5, 2012.
  3. "Congress urged to appoint liaison officer for Zambales 2nd district". SunStar. September 7, 2011. Retrieved February 5, 2012.
  4. "Zambales residents urge special poll". People's Journal. October 8, 2011. Retrieved February 5, 2012.
  5. Reyes, Jonas (November 8, 2011). "Zambales special elections forthcoming – Comelec". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved February 5, 2012.
  6. "Zambales special elections approved". Manila Standard Today. December 5, 2011. Retrieved February 5, 2012.
  7. Reyes, Jonas (January 16, 2012). "'Battle of progeny' in Zambales". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved February 5, 2012.
  8. "Police, military deputized for special Zambales elections". SunStar. January 16, 2012. Retrieved February 5, 2012.
  9. "Ebdane son quits post; joins 2nd district special elections". SunStar. January 17, 2012. Retrieved February 5, 2012.
  10. "5 vie for Zambales congressional seat". Manila Standard Today. December 25, 2012. Retrieved January 5, 2012.
  11. "Diaz scholarships continue in Zambales". Manila Standard Today. January 31, 2012. Retrieved February 5, 2012.
  12. "2 Zambales special poll bets warned on posters". Philippine Daily Inquirer. January 31, 2012. Retrieved February 5, 2012.
  13. "High turnout seen as polls take place in Zambales". Philippine Daily Inquirer. February 3, 2012. Retrieved February 5, 2012.
  14. "Man killed on eve of Zambales special polls". ABS-CBNnews.com. February 4, 2012. Retrieved February 5, 2012.
  15. Pasaylo, Jun (February 4, 2012). "Ebdane hands-off on Zambales shooting probe". Philippine Star. Retrieved February 5, 2012.
  16. "Son of Zambales gov wins special elections". Business Mirror. February 5, 2012. Retrieved February 5, 2012.
  17. Aning, Jerome (February 5, 2012). "Ebdane son wins Zambales special congressional polls". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved February 6, 2012.
  18. Reyes, Jonas (February 5, 2012). "Young Ebdane Wins Zambales Polls". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved February 6, 2012.
  19. "Ebdane's son is new Zambales 2nd district rep". GMA News Online. February 5, 2012. Retrieved February 20, 2012.
  20. Gonzaga, Robert. "Ebdane son concedes Zambales Congress fight". newsinfo.inquirer.net. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
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