BACOLOD CITY: Politics remains a family affair in Negros Occidental.

Former congressman Alfredo “Albee” Benitez ended the 18year reign in Bacolod City of incumbent Mayor Evelio Leonardia when he was proclaimed winner of the mayoral race by the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

Leonardia served Bacolod for decades as congressman and mayor.

He also served as city vice mayor and councilor in the late 1980s.

Benitez’s son, Javier Miguel, was proclaimed the new mayor of Victorias City, while Albee’s brother, Jose Francisco, was reelected congressman of the third district of Negros Occidental.

Brothers Marxlen and Nehemias dela Cruz were both reelected as mayor and vice mayor, respectively, of Don Salvador Benedicto, while cousins Manapla Mayor Manolet Escalante and Cadiz City Mayor Salvador Escalante were also reelected.

Lorenzo Suatengco and Miguel Antonio Peña, who were both unopposed in the Pulupandan mayoral and vice mayoral races, are also cousins.

Unopposed fourth district Rep. Juliet Marie Ferrer is the wife of Negros Occidental Vice Gov. Jeffrey Ferrer.

Newly proclaimed Pontevedra Mayor Jose Maria Alonso is the twin brother of reelected Board Member Jose Benito Alonso of the fourth district of Negros Occidental.

In the fifth district, the husband and wife tandem of Alejandro and Mary Ann Mirasol won as mayor and vice mayor of Binalbagan.

Jose Nadie Arceo and his wife, Mary Grace, are both leading in the mayoral and vice mayoral races in Hinigaran.

The daughter and father tandem in La Castellana of incumbent Mayor Rhummyla Nicor-Mangilimutan and former mayor Alberto Nicor prevailed over their opponents in the mayoral and vice mayoral races, Comelec records showed.

Dr. Irene Montilla was reelected mayor of Isabela town, while her son, Juan Miguel, is the new vice mayor.

In the sixth district of the province, unopposed congressional candidate, former Deputy Speaker Mercedes Alvarez replaced her father, Genaro, while her brothers Paul and Genaro Rafael, respectively, were unopposed as mayor and vice mayor of Ilog town.

The sister and brother tandem of Gina Montilla Lizares and Oscar Montilla won as mayor and vice mayor of Sipalay City.

Monday’s polls saw major upsets as virtual newcomers defeated political strongholds of traditional political clans.

In the fifth district of the province, Rep. Marilou Arroyo, sisterin-law of former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, conceded to former vice governor Dino Yulo in the congressional race.

Yulo, also a former board member of the Sugar Regulatory Administration, garnered 118,558 votes, against 76,115 votes of Arroyo.

“I have been blessed as only a few people ever have, to represent the people of the fifth district,” Arroyo said in a statement.

While she tried her very best to serve the people of the district, Arroyo also said the people have clearly spoken.

“Let us respect the will of the people,” she added, as she congratulated Yulo and wished him “all the best.”

Incumbent Silay City Mayor Mark Golez who sought reelection lost to independent mayoral candidate Joedith Gallego, whom he had defeated in the 2019 mayoral race.

Gallego was proclaimed by the Silay City Board of Canvassers as mayor of Silay City as he garnered 37,643 votes against Golez’s 34,725 votes.

Meanwhile, Benjie Miranda was declared the new mayor of Kabankalan City.

Miranda garnered 36,889 votes compared to 36,611 of incumbent Mayor Pedro Zayco.

Zayco belongs to a political family who has long controlled the city in southern Negros.