If City Mayor John Geesnell “Baba” Yap took the City of Tagbilaran by storm when he won the tightly-fought city mayoralty fight last May , brace for another surprise. In another outstanding feat, the young mayor romped away with nine slots of the 15 up for grabs in the last barangay elections .This means, nine of his chosen candidates won. It was an achievement at the expense of ex-mayor Dan Neri Lim who boasted before the village polls that the contest for barangay chair in Dao was a leadership test of who's who in the barangay. For Lim, the stakes were high in Dao as he fielded his wife, Dr. Sharleen, to clinch the position of barangay chair only to vow out to incumbent kagawad Maximiliano Cornell. The margin was 93 votes in favor of Cornell who was supported by Mayor Yap.

The result of last Monday's barangay elections wrote finis to the former mayor's aspiration to stage a political comeback after suffering a humiliating defeat of his protégées in last May's political exercise. With the emergence of Yap as a new power broker, the same signaled his anointment as the new kingmaker in the city, virtually eliminating the political obstacles posed by his uncle, the former city mayor. Yap's landslide victory in nine barangays in the city will ensure the city mayor that the next Association of Barangay Captains (ABC) president, held until Nov. 30 by Taloto chief executive officer Faro Cabalit, is all over but the shouting for his group. Yap's victories come from barangays Poblacion II, Poblacion III, Dampas, Cogon, Dao, Bool, Ubujan, Tiptip, Taloto, and San Isidro.

On the other hand, Lim's clout remains in barangays Poblacion I, Booy, Manga, Mansasa, and Bool where his bets defeated their respected opponents. Prominent among his favored bets who lost badly in the last elections were lawyer Doni PIquero who came in as poor third in the San Isidro contest while another fair-haired boy of Lim broadcaster Ted Ayeng was also in third place in a field of five in Poblacion II. Mayor Yap's candidate in the district was Dr. Allan Real who vanquished all four of his opponents.

Official ballot counts by the City's Commissions on Elections (Comelec) showed the following results: POBLACION I: Arlene Karaan (901) 2. Tim Butalid (832)

POBLACION II: Allan Real (1181) 2. Glorivic Dela Serna (830) 3. Ted Ayeng (521) 4. Milian Torralba (265) 5. Eleuterio Paredes (195)

POBLACION III: 1. Odysseus Chatto (2250) 2. George Olario (433)

DAMPAS: 1. Edgar Bompat (754) 2. Ed Macalandag (715) 3. Luis Alaba (671) 4. Ernesto Abadiano (631)

COGON: 1. Nicanor Besas (5181) 2. Zenaido Rama (511)

CABAWAN: 1. Luis Coto (427) 2. Sergio Bangalao (396)

DAO: 1. Maximiliano Cornell (1,547) 2. Sharleen Lim (1454)

BOOL: 1. Nestor Mendez (814) 2. Jose Suarez (802) 3. Joseph San Jose (373) 4. Paterno Bual (286)

UBUJAN: 1. Mary Jane Ruiz (1,262) 2. Avito Aguaviva (358) 3. Timoteo Maglahus (255) 4. Mario Munalem (149)

TIPTIP: 1. Antonio Restauro (613) 2. Restituto Telmo (600) 3. Felipe Alturas (451)

TALOTO: 1. Eugenio Zamora (1,342) 2. Siegfried Zamora (834)

SAN ISIDRO: 1. Fausto Budlong (811) 2. Diosario Balani (703) 3. Doni Piquero (479)

MANSASA: 1. Manolo Blanco (1,505) 2. Gerardo Inting (896) 3. John Dominic Migrino (319)

MANGA: 1. Leda Saco (1,496) 2. Andres Tiogangco (1,294)

BOOY: 1. Eutorgio Telmo (2,660) 2. Leonila Zamora (868)

Meanwhile, the winners of kagawad posts per barangay in the city are as follow: (Poblacion II): Cabagnot, Ralph Iriarte; Navea, Roy Sumampong; Borces, Jordan Albuladora; Duroy, Ramon Corloncito; Camacho, Eleanor Abella; Balon, Virgilio Jala; and Cabagnot, Arturo Sumampong;

(Poblacion III): Remolador, Felixberto Uy; Cinco, Leo Asas; Idayan, Regidor Bulahan; Minoza, John Manuel Bigcas; Vitorillo, Christopher Aron; Vitorillo, Salome Aron; and Padua, Eduardo Sr. Soriano;

(Dampas): Anana, Marlou Gucor; Adarne, Felix Oscar Villas; Pancha, Peter Malmis; Borja, Mildred Taghap; Regis, Liza Templa; Barafon, Adelaida Paredes; and Cristales, Richard Goloso;

(Cogon): Besas, Gian Carlo Tocmo; Balbin, Geneson Laganson; Torralba, Julian Jr. Valles; Balbin, Martin Rejas; Maniwang, Angelita Torralba; Magallano, Phil Rodney Malaran; and Lomotos, Erwin Binaluyo;

(Cabawan): Ingles, Merlita Pausanos; Montesco, Dennis Jumarito; Bangalao, Ariel Montesco; Pondoc, Alex Jumarito; Alfarero, Linda Solijon; Cadayday, Armand Jumarito; Gordillo, Marvin Enero;

(Dao): Puagang, Alberto Romana; Cornell, Florencio Maslog; Galao, Nestor Castillo; Romo, Alexander Mutia; Ayeng, Isabelo Labuga; Tabuno, Orolf Dagami; and Zamora, Hilarion II Delarmente;

(Bool): Angalot, Alfredo Balangkig; Bugash, Raul Saligumba; Angalot, Von Toribio; Pilayre, Nino Maninantan; Maestrado, Manolito Hontanosas; Ibao, Joel Biagcong; and Capayas, Marcial Tiro;

(Ubujan): Tomo, Macaria Claro; Legaspi, Romulo Real; Botero, Segundina Catay; Barimbao, Junlee Penales; Indoyon, Maximiano Cagoco; Tolang, Nida Palomares; and Manriquez, Miguelino Paloso;

(Tiptip): Lantape, Jeminador Gabaca; Libay, Mary Ann Chatto; Tapa, Manuelo Epe; Telmo, Alexis Yap; Cruz, Rafael II Gonzaga; Rios, Exuperio Tanong; and Alturas, Renato Vargas;

(Taloto): Refulle, Galicano Yomoyo; Tayag, Nelson Malaran; Bayog, Juanita Pusta; Manlupig, Florencio Dinsay; Pueblos, Brigidita Barol; Robante, Alfred Renegado; and Laguitao, Herbert Pahang;

(San Isidro): Simbajon, Emelio Laurden; Casenas, Antonio Jr. Acain; Ugat, Nestor Alfarero; Alfarero, Marlo Sabijon; Polo, Ramir Tajaran; Bustamante, Eulalio Sr Tanupan; and Budlong, Ester Aton;

(Poblacion I): Racho, Nino Himalalo-an; Patino, Ramil Alayon; Ibanez, Joyful Dolauta; Remolador, Jonathan Valles; Cagampang, Gloria Itong; Borja, Nesino Perez; and Dohig, George Pahang;

(Mansasa): Ramirez, Joseph Ararao; Almine, Ferome Jusgorge Balabag; Blanco, Bernadette Bloco; Ochea, Samuel Birad; Corloncito, Joel Oncog; Pahang, Carolino Balabag; and Galan, Eduardo Caralos;

(Manga): Tabanera, Felipe Remolador; Claro, Victorioso Carreon; Torillo, Ma. Fe Igang; Delusa, Gabriel Igang; Bantug, Ruel Unod; Dalida, Deogracias Iballa; and Lazarte, Cirilo Lapay;

(Booy): Arabejo, Prudencio Jr. Deloso; Ayeng, Eulogia Galon; Doroy, Pedro Chatto; Uy, Christopher Lyndon Café; Ingking, Clement Paulinel Lofranco; Jeverola, Ruperto Gascar; and Malaya, Neil Balido.

All elected barangay officials, as mandated by law, will start assuming public service work today (Dec. 1, 2013). (MIKE ORTEGA LIGALIG)