2022 Santa Cruz, Laguna, local elections

2022 Santa Cruz local elections
	Mayoralty election
Mayor before election; Edgar San Luis; Nacionalista	Elected mayor ; Edgar San Luis; Aksyon
	Vice mayoralty election
Vice Mayor before election; Laarni Malibiran; KDP	Elected Vice Mayor ; Laarni Malibiran; PROMDI

Local elections were held in Santa Cruz on Monday, May 9, 2022, as a part of the 2022 Philippine general election. Voters will select candidates for all local positions: a town mayor, vice mayor and town councilors, as well as members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, a governor, a vice-governor and a representative for the province's fourth congressional district in the House of Representatives.^[1]^[2]

Background

In 2019 elections Edgar San Luis run as Mayor of Santa Cruz under the Nacionalista Party to succeed incumbent and term-limited Domingo Panganiban who wad running for Vice-Mayor. San Luis later won against to then incumbent Laguna Board member Joseph Kris Benjamin Agarao of PDP–Laban and to former Mayor Ariel Magcalas of KDP.

Incumbent Mayor Edgar San Luis is running for reelection under the Aksyon Demokratiko he's facing Laguna's 4th District Benjamin Agarao Jr. of PDP–Laban.

During the campaign period of the 2022 election, Incumbent Mayor of Manila Isko Moreno endorsed Edgar San Luis and Louie de Leon, while former Senator (later President) Bongbong Marcos endorsed Benjamin Agarao Jr. and Laarni Malibiran.

Tickets

Administration coalition

Team Serbisyong may Puso
#	Name

For Mayor
2.	Edgar San Luis	Aksyon
For Vice Mayor
1.	Louie de Leon	Aksyon
For Councilor
4.	Efren Diaz	Aksyon
6.	Querubin Gabinete	Aksyon
8.	Angelito Joven	Aksyon
13.	Lucena Odejar	Aksyon
14.	Alan Pamatmat	Aksyon
15.	Ambiel Panganiban	Aksyon
18.	Ramon Tan	Aksyon
19.	Norman Tolentino	Aksyon

Primary opposition coalition

Team Tropang pang Masa
#	Name

For Mayor
1.	Benjamin Agarao Jr.	PDP–Laban
For Vice Mayor
None^[a]
For Councilor
1.	Lea Almarves	PDP–Laban
2.	Frederick Ambrocio	PDP–Laban
3.	Esmeraldo de las Armas Jr.	PDP–Laban
5.	Renato Ernas	PDP–Laban
7.	Demmer Halili	PDP–Laban
10.	Rizaldy Kalaw	PDP–Laban
12.	Mia Martinez	PDP–Laban
16.	Serafin San Juan Jr.	PDP–Laban

Other coalitions and parties

Progressive Movement for the Devolution of Initiatives
#	Name

For Vice Mayor
2.	Laarni Malibiran	PROMDI
For Councilor
9.	Mark Anthony Joven	PROMDI

Independent politician
#	Name

For Councilor
11.	Romonito Lauta	Independent
17.	Percy San Miguel	Independent

Results

The candidates for mayor and vice mayor with the highest number of votes wins the seat; they are voted separately, therefore, they may be of different parties when elected.^[3]

Mayor

Incumbent Edgar San Luis is running for reelection under Aksyon Demokratiko his main opponent is incumbent Laguna's 4th District Representative Benjamin Agarao Jr. of PDP–Laban.

2022 Santa Cruz mayoralty election
#	Candidate	Coalition		Party		Votes	%
1.	Edgar San Luis Sr. (Incumbent)		Serbisyong may Puso		Aksyon	33,062	50.97
2.	Benjamin Agarao Jr.		Tropang pang Masa		PDP–Laban	31,809	49.03
Valid ballots						64,871	81.15
Margin of victory						1,253	1.94
Invalid or blank ballots						15,067	18.85
Total votes						79,938	100.00
	Aksyon hold

Popular vote percentage

Edgar San Luis			50.97%
Benjamin Agarao Jr.			49.03%

Vice Mayor

Incumbent Laarni Malibiran is running for reelection her main opponent is Incumbent Councilor and also her predecessor Louie de Leon.

2022 Santa Cruz vice mayoralty election
#	Candidate	Coalition		Party		Votes	%
1.	Laarni Malibiran (Incumbent)		Tropang pang Masa (Guest Candidate)		PROMDI	37,099	59.74
2.	Louie de Leon		Serbisyon may Puso		Aksyon	24,997	40.26
Valid ballots						62,096	77.68
Margin of victory						12,102	19.48
Invalid or blank ballots						17,842	22.32
Total votes						79,938	100.00
	PROMDI hold

Popular vote percentage

Laarni Malibiran			59.74%
Louis de Leon			40.26%

Sangguniang Bayan

Election is via plurality-at-large voting: A voter votes for up to eight candidates, then the eight candidates with the highest number of votes are elected.

Party or alliance		Votes	%	Seats
	Aksyon Demokratiko	203,491	48.95	4
	PDP–Laban	177,137	42.61	3
	PROMDI	25,087	6.03	1
	Independent	9,981	2.04	0
Ex officio seats				2
Total votes		415,696	100.00	10

Vote share

Aksyon			48.95%
PDP–Laban			42.61%
PROMDI			6.03%
Independent			2.04%

Municipal Council seats

Aksyon			50.00%
PDP–Laban			37.50%
PROMDI			12.50%

2022 Santa Cruz sangguniang bayan election
#	Candidate	Coalition		Party		Votes	%
1.	Ambiel John Panganiban (Incumbent)		Serbisyong may Puso		Aksyon	34,775	8.37
2.	Lea Almarves (Incumbent)		Tropang pang Masa		PDP–Laban	29,711	7.15
3.	Norman Tolentino		Serbisyong may Puso		Aksyon	27,828	6.69
4.	Esmeraldo De Las Armas Jr.		Tropang pang Masa		PDP–Laban	26,911	6.47
5.	Pasirit Kalaw		Tropang pang Masa		PDP–Laban	26,626	6.41
6.	Mark Anthony Joven (Incumbent)		Tropang pang Masa (Guest Candidate)		PROMDI	25,087	6.03
7.	Lucena Odejar (Incumbent)		Serbisyong may Puso		Aksyon	25,087	6.03
8.	Alan Pamatmat (Incumbent)		Serbisyong may Puso		Aksyon	24,667	5.93
9.	Efren Diaz (Incumbent)		Serbisyong may Puso		Aksyon	24,322	5.85
10.	Angelito Joven		Serbisyong may Puso		Aksyon	22,537	5.42
11.	Ramon Tan (Incumbent)		Serbisyong may Puso		Aksyon	22,179	5.34
12.	Querubin Gabinete		Serbisyong may Puso		Aksyon	22,096	5.32
13.	Serafin San Juan Jr.		Tropang pang Masa		PDP–Laban	21,494	5.17
14.	Mia Martinez		Tropang pang Masa		PDP–Laban	21,145	5.09
15.	Demmer Halili		Tropang pang Masa		PDP–Laban	18,990	4.57
16.	Frederick Ambrosio		Tropang pang Masa		PDP–Laban	16,543	3.98
17.	Renato Ernas		Tropang pang Masa		PDP–Laban	15,717	3.78
18.	Percy San Miguel				Independent	8,522	2.05
19.	Ramonito Lauta				Independent	1,459	0.35
Valid ballots						415,696	65.00
Invalid or blank ballots						223,808	35.00
Total votes						639,504	100.00

Aftermath

After the Municipal Board of Canvassers proclaimed reelectionist Edgar "Egay" San Luis of Aksyon Demokratiko, The supporters of then incumbent Congressman Benjamin Agarao Jr. of PDP–Laban said the election was cheated and will file a complaint against San Luis. On the 14th of July 2023, one year after the elections some groups and individuals go to the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) office in Santa Cruz, Laguna to file for a Recall election for the position of Mayor, The COMELEC accept the complaint. On the 17th of July 2023, three days after the complaint was filed and accept by the COMELEC the incumbent Mayor Edgar San Luis official answer the questions of his supporters, he said Who ever is the person behind all this will be held prosecuted because only in the early 2023, Rumors has it that someone is buying the signature of a townsman and has a bribe of five hundred pesos and three/five kilos of rice. ^[4]^[5]^[6]^[7]^[8]

Notes

^ Supporting guest candidate Laarni Malibiran of (PROMDI) see below.

References

^ "LIST: Who is running in Laguna in the 2022 Philippine elections?". Rappler. September 2022. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
^ "Tentative Lists of Aspirants/Candidates". COMELEC. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
^ "2022 NLE". COMELEC, DICT, Smartmatic. May 9, 2022. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
^ "Recall petition filed against Santa Cruz, Laguna Mayor". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved July 19, 2023.
^ "Nasa likod ng Petisyon para sa Recall election ng Santa Cruz, Laguna, binalaan ni Mayor San Luis". Sta. Cruz Today official Facebook page. Retrieved July 19, 2023.
^ "Mga Paratang Laban kay Mayor San Luis, Isa-Isang Sinagot ng Alkalde Kaugnay sa Inihaing Recall election Laban sa Kanya". Ronda Balita Probinsya official Facebook page. Retrieved July 19, 2023.
^ "Breaking News: Groups and Individuals File Petition for Recall Elections in Santa Cruz, Laguna". Santa Cruz Today official facebook page. Retrieved July 19, 2023.
^ "Residents file petition for Election Recall in Sta. Cruz, Laguna". Manilatimes. Retrieved July 19, 2023.

[3] Supporting guest candidate Laarni Malibiran of (PROMDI) see below.

[1] "LIST: Who is running in Laguna in the 2022 Philippine elections?". Rappler. September 2022. Retrieved March 6, 2023.

[2] "Tentative Lists of Aspirants/Candidates". COMELEC. Retrieved March 6, 2023.

[4] "2022 NLE". COMELEC, DICT, Smartmatic. May 9, 2022. Retrieved March 6, 2023.

[5] "Recall petition filed against Santa Cruz, Laguna Mayor". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved July 19, 2023.

[6] "Nasa likod ng Petisyon para sa Recall election ng Santa Cruz, Laguna, binalaan ni Mayor San Luis". Sta. Cruz Today official Facebook page. Retrieved July 19, 2023.

[7] "Mga Paratang Laban kay Mayor San Luis, Isa-Isang Sinagot ng Alkalde Kaugnay sa Inihaing Recall election Laban sa Kanya". Ronda Balita Probinsya official Facebook page. Retrieved July 19, 2023.

[8] "Breaking News: Groups and Individuals File Petition for Recall Elections in Santa Cruz, Laguna". Santa Cruz Today official facebook page. Retrieved July 19, 2023.

[9] "Residents file petition for Election Recall in Sta. Cruz, Laguna". Manilatimes. Retrieved July 19, 2023.

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