The story of big and small losers in the automated May 10 elections in Davao City is just as interesting.
The biggest loser is House Speaker Prospero C. Nograles, who lost to Zara Duterte by a big margin, over 200,000 votes, no less. This is the third time Boy Nograles failed to win the mayoral contest, the first and second being in 1992 and 1998, against Rody Duterte and Benjamin C. de Guzman. He has lost a total of four elections in his checkered career, not a rarity in the Philippines.
The second biggest loser is former mayor Ben de Guzman, who was clobbered in the vice mayoral tussle by Mayor Duterte. De Guzman, a former ward of Duterte, now has a win-loss record of two wins and four losses, three of them against Duterte.
The third biggest loser is former Third District congressman Ruy Elias Lopez, son of the late Elias B. Lopez who was twice a topnotcher councilor, vice mayor, twice city mayor and twice congressman of the Third District. Instead of recapturing his congressional position in the Third District, Ruy Lopez took a beating from incumbent congressman Isidro T. Ungab.
Redeemers
Some losing politicians end up as redeemers. By winning in the least election, Karlo is expected to redeem the name of his father, the House Speaker. Cuncilor-elect Dr. Rene Lopez gets the opportunity of redeeming some of the luster of his brother, Ruy, who lost to Ungab. De Guzman has no “redeemer” since none of his children took after him as politicians.
Defeated incumbents
Two incumbents city councilors lost their re-election bids last May 10. They are councilors Gerard Anthony Bangoy of the Second District and Teresita Mata-Maranon of the Third.
Come-backing dads who lost
Of the losers, nine were come-backers, or candidates who were former councilors. They are Shane Dolor, Antonio H. Vergara and Amil Bangsa Manding of the First District; Nenita and Beethoven Orcullo in the Second; and Dr. Salvador Caingles, Domingo G. Dolor, Dr, Alan Dolor and lawyer Reynaldo Reyes in the Third.
