THE province of Bohol is still considered as a Duterte bailiwick by One Bohol for Good Governance and some ABante municipal leaders, who asked for anonymity.
The post-election assessment is mainly based on the fact that six of the PDP-Laban and other Sara-endorsed senatorial bets made it to the winning 12 circle in Bohol.
They are Senator Bong Go, the number one with 578,862 votes; Senator Bato Dela Rosa, 533,845; Jimmy Bondoc, 321,246; Rodante Marcoleta, 311,699; Camille Villar (NP), 297,897; Philip Salvador, 289,221; Raul Lambino, 258,467; lawyer Jesus “Jayvee” Villanueva Hinlo Jr, 248,755; Vic Rodriguez, 224,052; Bam Aquino, 216, 243; Erwin Tulfo, 197,053; and Pia Cayetano, 177,710.
In 2016, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte got a landslide votes here in his presidential attempt and so his daughter in the vice-presidency run in 2022.
According to one of the ABante leaders, they voted those senatoriables anointed by Sara Duterte. They did not vote for those Sara-endorsed candidates in the local scene since they already committed support to ABante candidates in the province. But it was a different story in casting votes to national bets, he said.
One Bohol for Good Governance honchos Dr. Nuez and Dodong Ursos agreed with the observation during an exclusive interview.
Though their (One Bohol) candidates, also backed up by Royal Empire of Kingdom Maharlika (REKOM) in the local level, did not make it, but still they succeeded in other things — the no-nonsense campaign of clean elections based on true platforms of government and no vote-buying.
“Though the results may not have favored us in this electoral race, the true victory lies in the spirit of unity and purpose that each of you demonstrated throughout this journey. You campaigned not just for candidates, but for a vision — a vision of a BETTER, MORE ACCOUNTABLE, QUALITY OF LIFE and MORE PROGRESSIVE BOHOL. You gave your time, energy, and resources — not for personal gain, but for the greater good of our province and our nation,” it said in its official statement.
Though we may not have emerged victorious in the electoral race, our hearts are filled with gratitude and pride for everything we have accomplished together. This campaign was never just about winning an office—it was about raising our collective voice, standing up for our shared values, and bringing communities together around a vision for a better future. Let us not be disheartened by the outcome, it added. (rvo)
