Ronald Singson’s brother to take over vacated House post

(Updated 9:40 p.m.) Vigan City Vice Mayor Ryan Luis Singson will soon take over the post vacated by his brother, resigned Ilocos Sur Rep. Ronald Singson. The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Sunday proclaimed Ryan Luis as the winner of the special elections held last Saturday, May 28, for the province’s first district congressional post via a landslide victory against lawyer Bertrand Baterina. A report over GMA News TV’s Balitanghali on Sunday said Ryan Luis got 71,995 while his opponent got 30,445 votes. Ryan Luis and Ronald are sons of incumbent Ilocos Sur governor Luis "Chavit" Singson, who played a major role in the downfall of the Estrada government in January 2001. With the transfer of the congressional post from one Singson to another, the political clan now has 10 members occupying various elective posts: a governor, three district representatives, four mayors and two vice mayors. [See related story here.]
A separate tally sent by the National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) from 98 percent of the election returns the poll watchdog collated placed the number of Singson’s vote to 69,982, compared to Baterina’s 30,287. Comelec Commissioner Elias Yusoph, who was in charge of the special elections, said the polls that were held in 11 municipalities were peaceful and clean. “There were no incident of violence" he said. Yusoph said the canvassing ended past 12 midnight. The congressional seat for Ilocos Sur’s first district was vacated after Ronald, who was sentenced to 18 months in prison in Hong Kong for illegal drug possession, resigned from the post last March. Ronald was convicted by the Hong Kong Wan Chai District Court for trafficking cocaine and Valium in the Chinese territory. He was arrested in July last year at Chek Lap Kok Airport after authorities seized 6.67 grams of cocaine from him. Ryan Luis, meanwhile, considered his victory as an early birthday gift as he will be celebrating his 31st birthday on June 1. He vowed to continue the pending projects of his brother. Namfrel pegged the voters’ turnout during the special polls to 62 percent. Ilocos Sur’s first district covers Vigan City and the towns of Cabugao, Masingal, San Juan, Sta. Catalina, Sto. Domingo, Sinait, Bantay, Caoayan, San Vicente and San Ildefonso. — with GMA News Research/LBG/KBK, GMA News