Gomez ally wins Ormoc ABC post

ORMOC CITY — An ally of Mayor Richard Gomez captured the presidency of the city’s Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) or Liga ng Barangay by a huge margin over the daughter of former mayor Edward “Ondo” Codilla, during the ABC elections held on Monday at the City Hall.

Chairman Esteban “Bebe” Laurente of Barangay Doña Feliza Mejia gathered 82 votes over Cassandra Codilla’s 27.

Gomez allies also made a clean sweep from vice president up to the directors of the board. The barangay chairmen apparently toed the party line, including newbies, with similar scores.

They are: Reynaldo Gorres of Brgy. Esperanza as vice-president (80 votes); Monchou de Paz of District 29 as auditor (80); and, Rodolfo Marson (85), Arlene Derla (83) Eduardo Larrazabal (83), Eduardo Nazario (81), Losauro Juba , Jesse Araneta (81), Richard Impas (81), and Bernardina Mascariñas as board members (81).

One unidentified barangay chairman, on the other hand, did not vote for any candidate except for a board of director candidate Diosdado Saluagui.

Former mayor “Ondo” Codilla defeated Mayor Gomez in 2013 elections, but the latter came back to defeat the former in the 2016 elections.

Before the May 14, 2018 barangay and SK elections, Mayor Gomez only had 35 allied barangay chairmen. After the elections, the number increased to 75. Last week, seven more pledged to support the Gomez camp.

The new ABC officials were immediately sworn into office after the elections by City Judge Rene Romero Jr. —