Mindanaotoday.com | Dinagat’s Ecleo clan members victorious in May 9 polls
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – The family of Ruben Ecleo, Sr., the founder of the cult Philippine Benevolent Missionaries Association (PBMA), is back at the helm of Dinagat Island politics with four family members elected in crucial positions.
Dinagat Island elected Nilo Demerey, Jr. for governor with 33,993 votes while incumbent governor Arlene Bag-ao got 25,552.
Demerey’s party mate former vice governor Benglen Ecleo is now back to his old position after getting 32,446 votes.
Bag-ao first ran for congress in 2010 for the Akbyan party-list.
In 2013, she ran for congress in the Dinagat Islands where she held the position for two terms.
In 2019 she won as governor of the island defeating the well-entrenched Ecleo family political dynasty.
Governor-elect Demerey is the incumbent vice governor of Dinagat Island.
A former mining executive, he first ran in 2016 for provincial board member under United Nationalist Alliance, then ran for vice governor in 2019 under Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban).
For the Dinagat’s lone congress district, congressman Alan Uno Ecleo kept his position with 36,450 votes defeating his sister and former governor Jade Ecleo who got 20,005 votes. Alan and jade are children of Ruben Sr.
In San Jose, capital of Dinagat, Hero Ecleo is the new town mayor. Ludwig and Allandos Ecleo are also elected as town councilors.
In Basilisa town, Ozzy Reuben Ecleo is elected as mayor. In Cagdianao town, Ian Mark and Twinx Ecleo are elected as town councilors.
For provincial board members, Amor Ecleo-Alcaria and Gwendolyn Ecleo-Pols are also elected as 2nd district board members.
Dinagat is an enclave of the Ecleo family whose father Ruben Ecleo, Sr., founded the PBMA.