CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Philippines – The Ecleos of Dinagat Islands tightened their political grip on the province in Caraga again with their gubernatorial bet, Vice Governor Nilo Demerey, poised to unseat Governor Arlene “Kaka” Bag-ao.

Bag-ao is trailing in the gubernatorial race with 25,552 votes against Demerey’s 33,993, based on a partial and unofficial count of 98% of the election returns as of 2 pm on Tuesday, May 10.

Bag-ao’s 2019 rival in the gubernatorial race, Benglen Ecleo, is poised to win the vice-gubernatorial race with 32,446 votes over independent candidate Sanny Seco’s 20,499.

Dinagat Representative Alan Ecleo is also ahead in the congressional race with 36,450 votes against Bag-ao’s partymate Jade Ecleo who garnered 20,005 as of 2 pm.

Bag-ao and Jade, a former vice governor, ran under the Liberal Party (LP) while Demerey and the other Ecleos were fielded by the Lakas-CMD party.

Another Ecleo, Gwen, is poised to win a seat in the provincial board.

The Ecleos established a political dynasty in the Dinagat which, until 2007, was a group of islands that was part of Surigao del Norte province.

It became a chartered province based on a 2007 law authored by the family’s matriarch, former representative and governor Glenda Ecleo. – Rappler.com