Vergel Meneses wins mayor, Dondon Hontiveros tops councilor race; Yeng Guiao loses congressional bid

MANILA, Philippines—Sports personalities were among the biggest winners in this year’s midterm elections, but not all made the cut.

Former cager Francis Zamora has been proclaimed mayor of San Juan, beating Janella Ejercito-Estrada and toppling the five-decade reign of the Estrada-Ejercito clan in the city.

Francis Zamora on his way to cast his vote on Monday. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

Zamora garnered 35,060 votes to Estrada’s 24,813.

PBA legend Vergel Meneses also won the mayoral race in Bulakan town, Bulacan three years after falling short in his electoral bid as vice mayor of the same town.

https://www.facebook.com/vergel.c.meneses/posts/2342188726062523

Gilas Pilipinas head coach Yeng Guiao, however, wasn’t as fortunate.

Guiao, a multititled mentor who also calls the shots for the NLEX Road Warriors in the PBA, lost to Carmelo Jon Lazatin in the congressional race as Pampanga’s first district representative.

Meanwhile, former PBA star Dondon Hontiveros emerged as the top councilor in the second district of Cebu City with 158,129 votes.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bwnrls3FiCw/

Ex-PBA players Franz Pumaren and Paul Artadi also won as councilors in the third district of Quezon City and first district of San Juan, respectively.

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Atty. Rebo Saguisag, who serves as executive director of the UAAP and SBP head of technical commission, grabbed a seat as councilor in the first district of Makati.