Armada concedes to Tupas in race for Capitol
Iloilo's gubernatorial race rivals called
separate press conferences yesterday,
incunbent Governor Niel Tupas Sr.
(top photo) expressing his gratitude to his
supporters for winning in the election the
third time and defeated Vice Governor
Roberto Armada for conceding defeat and
at the same time thanking the people who
helped him. Tupas leads Armada by a
wide margin in the ongoing canvassing
of votes.
Photo by A. Chris Fernandez
A day into the counting, Vice Gov. Roberto Armada conceded to Gov. Niel Tupas in the race for the Capitol.
The single biggest factor to his defeat was the failure of President Arroyo to visit the province twice, Armada pointed out. As of 5 p.m. yesterday, Tupas had 30, 502 votes, while Armada was trailing behind, with only 12, 255.
The two-termer reelectionist governor is still facing a graft case with the Court of Appeals after he was ordered dismissed by Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez in December last year.
During a presscon he called yesterday, Armada declared that he is conceding to Tupas, a veteran of more than 30 years in politics, "to ease tension among the leaders and field workers, and to set a good example."
"It takes courage to fight, and even more courage to concede," he stressed.
Had Ms. Arroyo showed up on April 16 and on May 10 and had talked with the town mayors personally, the outcome of the election would have been different, Armada said.
The President was scheduled to formally inaugurate the P6.2 billion New Iloilo Airport of International Standards in the Sta. Barbara-Cabatuan area in April 16, but failed because First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo fell ill. She also failed to attend the May 10 Team Unity caucus because she suffered a
heat stroke in Bohol.
Although he and Justice Sec. Raul Gonzalez were blamed for it, Armada said that the January 17 police assault on the Capitol did not play a factor in his defeat.
He also complained of last minute change in the alliance in favor of Tupas by politicians whom he did not name.
In the first district, he said, sample ballots by a known administration ally did not bore his name.
He also decried the rampant vote buying, especially in the first and the second districts.
Although he refrained from identifying who was behind it, Armada said that it certainly benefited Tupas.
"Unfortunately, we are less moneyed than they are," he stressed.
However, Armada clarified that he is not sour-graping.
"We were not cheated, we lost," he said.