Cagayan's 2nd legislative district special election, 2011
Encyclopedia
A special election for Cagayan
's 2nd district seat in the House of Representatives of the Philippines
was held on March 12, 2011. The special election was called after the incumbent representative, Florencio Vargas
died on July 2010. Vargas' daughter, Baby Aline Vargas-Alfonso, was elected after beating former Governor of Cagayan Edgar Lara, Vargas' opponent in the 2010 election. Alfonso shall serve the remainder of her father's term which will end in 2013.
of Lakas-Kampi-CMD
won the general election on May 10, 2010. His term began on June 30, but he died on July 22, a few days before the 15th Congress
convened. The two other congressmen from Cagayan, Juan Ponce Enrile, Jr. and Randolph Ting, then filed a resolution declaring Vargas' seat vacant paving way for a special election. Defeated candidate and former governor Edgar Lara had previously expressed interest in participating if a special election was called, and also said that he expects any member of the Vargas family to run as well. On December 13, Representative Juan Ponce Enrile, Jr. was designated by Speaker Feliciano Belmonte, Jr.
as the caretaker of the 2nd district pending the approval of a special election.
The Commission on Elections
has set the election on March 12, 2011, Saturday. The period for the filing of certificates of candidacy will be from February 21 to 25, and the campaign period will be from February 26 to March 10. Unlike the general election, the special election will be conducted manually.
, will be the ruling Liberal Party
's nominee for the special election, while Vargas' daughter, Abulug
vice mayor Baby Aline Vargas-Alfonso, is his opponent.
President Aquino and the ruling Liberal Party are supporting Lara's candidacy while Cagayan governor Alvaro Antonio
and 1st district representative Juan Ponce Enrile, Jr.'s Team Cagayan coalition supports Alfonso, the daughter of the late representative. Alfonso is running under the Lakas Kampi CMD banner.
Alfonso was declared the winner after the Commission on Elections
finished canvassing in ten of the twelve municipalities in the district. The low turnout was blamed on residents residing outside the district not returning to their homes during the weekend, and the aftermath of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
in which voters were discouraged from casting their votes when residents from the coastal towns of the district evacuated due to a tsunami alert and only returned morning of election day.
Alfonso was sworn in as a member of the House of Representatives on March 16, raising its membership to 284, the largest in its history.
Cagayan
Cagayan , the "Land of Smiling Beauty", is a province of the Philippines in the Cagayan Valley region in Luzon. Its capital is Tuguegarao City and is located at the northeastern corner of the island of Luzon. Cagayan also includes the Babuyan Islands to the north. The province borders Ilocos Norte...
's 2nd district seat in the House of Representatives of the Philippines
House of Representatives of the Philippines
The House of Representatives of the Philippines is the lower chamber of the...
was held on March 12, 2011. The special election was called after the incumbent representative, Florencio Vargas
Florencio Vargas
Florencio L. Vargas was a Filipino politician. A member of the Lakas-Kampi-CMD party, he has been elected to three terms as a Member of the House of Representatives of the Philippines, representing the 2nd District of Cagayan. He first won election to Congress in 2004, and was re-elected in 2007...
died on July 2010. Vargas' daughter, Baby Aline Vargas-Alfonso, was elected after beating former Governor of Cagayan Edgar Lara, Vargas' opponent in the 2010 election. Alfonso shall serve the remainder of her father's term which will end in 2013.
Background
Incumbent representative Florencio VargasFlorencio Vargas
Florencio L. Vargas was a Filipino politician. A member of the Lakas-Kampi-CMD party, he has been elected to three terms as a Member of the House of Representatives of the Philippines, representing the 2nd District of Cagayan. He first won election to Congress in 2004, and was re-elected in 2007...
of Lakas-Kampi-CMD
Lakas-Kampi-CMD
Lakas Kampi CMD is a center-right political party in the Philippines and the current minority party in the country. Its ideology is heavily influenced by Christian and Islamic democracy...
won the general election on May 10, 2010. His term began on June 30, but he died on July 22, a few days before the 15th Congress
15th Congress of the Philippines
The Fifteenth Congress of the Philippines is the current meeting of the national legislature of the Republic of the Philippines, composed of the Senate and House of Representatives...
convened. The two other congressmen from Cagayan, Juan Ponce Enrile, Jr. and Randolph Ting, then filed a resolution declaring Vargas' seat vacant paving way for a special election. Defeated candidate and former governor Edgar Lara had previously expressed interest in participating if a special election was called, and also said that he expects any member of the Vargas family to run as well. On December 13, Representative Juan Ponce Enrile, Jr. was designated by Speaker Feliciano Belmonte, Jr.
Feliciano Belmonte, Jr.
Feliciano "Sonny" Racimo Belmonte, Jr. is a member of the Philippine House of Representatives representing the Fourth District of Quezon City. He is also the house speaker of the Congress from 2010 to present. He was the mayor of Quezon City from 2001-2010.-Early Life and Career:Belmonte was born...
as the caretaker of the 2nd district pending the approval of a special election.
The Commission on Elections
Commission on Elections (Philippines)
The Commission on Elections, or COMELEC, is one of the three constitutional commissions of the Philippines. Its principal role is to enforce all laws and regulations relative to the conduct of elections, initiatives, referendums, and recalls....
has set the election on March 12, 2011, Saturday. The period for the filing of certificates of candidacy will be from February 21 to 25, and the campaign period will be from February 26 to March 10. Unlike the general election, the special election will be conducted manually.
Campaign
Only two candidates Lara, formerly of the Nationalist People's CoalitionNationalist People's Coalition
The Nationalist People's Coalition or NPC is a political party in the Philippines.-History:The Party was founded in 1991 after some members of the Nacionalista Party led by then Rizal Governor Isidro Rodriguez bolted from the Nacionalista Party after some disagreements with Nacionalista party...
, will be the ruling Liberal Party
Liberal Party (Philippines)
The Liberal Party of the Philippines is a liberal party in the Philippines, founded by then senators Senate President Manuel Roxas, Senate President Pro-Tempore Elpidio Quirino, and former 9th Senatorial District Senator Jose Avelino, on November 24, 1945 by a breakaway Liberal group from the...
's nominee for the special election, while Vargas' daughter, Abulug
Abulug, Cagayan
Abulug is a 4th class municipality in the province of Cagayan, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 28,769 people in 5,297 households.-Barangays:...
vice mayor Baby Aline Vargas-Alfonso, is his opponent.
President Aquino and the ruling Liberal Party are supporting Lara's candidacy while Cagayan governor Alvaro Antonio
Alvaro Antonio
Alvaro Trinidad Antonio, also known by his nickname Bong or Ambong is a Filipino politician, who is the incumbent Governor of Cagayan. He is a former pro-bono lawyer at the Citizen's Legal Action Office and a former Mayor of Alcala.-Sources:********...
and 1st district representative Juan Ponce Enrile, Jr.'s Team Cagayan coalition supports Alfonso, the daughter of the late representative. Alfonso is running under the Lakas Kampi CMD banner.
Result
Alfonso was declared the winner after the Commission on Elections
Commission on Elections (Philippines)
The Commission on Elections, or COMELEC, is one of the three constitutional commissions of the Philippines. Its principal role is to enforce all laws and regulations relative to the conduct of elections, initiatives, referendums, and recalls....
finished canvassing in ten of the twelve municipalities in the district. The low turnout was blamed on residents residing outside the district not returning to their homes during the weekend, and the aftermath of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
The 2011 earthquake off the Pacific coast of Tohoku, also known as the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, or the Great East Japan Earthquake, was a magnitude 9.0 undersea megathrust earthquake off the coast of Japan that occurred at 14:46 JST on Friday, 11 March 2011, with the epicenter approximately east...
in which voters were discouraged from casting their votes when residents from the coastal towns of the district evacuated due to a tsunami alert and only returned morning of election day.
Alfonso was sworn in as a member of the House of Representatives on March 16, raising its membership to 284, the largest in its history.