BATANGAS Capitol – “HINDI pa talaga tapos ang pulitikahan sa Batangas”, a high ranking official at the Batangas capitol quipped shortly before noon of June 30, 2025, the day all government officials elected in May 2022 has to take a bow out of office and the winners of the May 12, 2025 elections will assume posts.
The official said, “di ba tapos na ang eleksyon, bakit ganyan pa rin ang nangyayari? Kanya-kanya pa rin.”
The remark has something to do with the separate programs for the ‘would be turn-over’ of leadership in the top capitol posts.
Remarkably, former vice governor Jose Antonio Leviste 2nd stepped down from office during a program at the Dream Zone and ‘passed the key’ to Vice Governor Hermilando I. Mandanas who took the oath of office together with reelected Board Members Alfredo Corona and Rodolfo Balba of the 3rd District, and newly elected Board Member Melvin Vidal of the 4th District.
“I solemnly swear..”.. Vice Governor Hermilando I. Mandanas, assisted by his wife, Atty. Angelica Chua-Mandanas, and his siblings, took his oath of office before Supreme Court Associate Justice Ricardo R. Rosario.| Contributed photo
Mandanas was not able to able to personally turn-over the leadership of the province to Governor Vilma Santos-Recto who did not attend the program.
Instead, Santos-Recto took her oath before Provincial Federation of the Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) president Rocafort in a separate program held at the lobby of the Provincial Information Office, wherein members of the media were not allowed to enter.
“Siguro hindi pa rin niya matanggap na natalo ang anak niya. Paano sila niyan, may sarili siyang vice governor?” commented a capitol employee who requested anonymity.
Santos-Recto run with Luis Manzano, her son with actor Edu Manzano, but lost by landslide to Santos-Recto’s successor-predecessor, former Governor, now Vice Governor Mandanas.
In a video taken on that same day, the governor said his son is just accompanying her and assisting her before she needed him. She said Luis should have accepted two TV game show, but she asked to just take one and lend him sometime. Manzano also assured her, the governor said, that he will still go around the province and fulfill his campaign promises even without mandate of the electorate.| – BNN News
