ILOILO CITY – After almost a decade, the people of Antique province have elected a governor from the Javier political clan – former Rep. Paolo.
PAOLO Javier (third from left) is proclaimed the governor of Antique province. Also in photo is father Exequiel ‘Boy Ex’ Javier (left), a long-time provincial governor. (PIA-Antique)
“Duro duro gid nga salamat pinalangga ko mga Antiqueños (Thank you very much to my beloved Antiqueños),” said the governor-elect in a statement on Wednesday, May 14.
Paolo won the seven-way gubernatorial race with 104,876 votes.
His closest rival was former Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Jonathan Tan with 69,328 votes. Vice Gov. Edgar Denosta was third with 38,777 votes.
It was in 2016 when Paolo’s father Exequiel “Boy Ex” Javier last served as governor. Boy Ex lost his bid for reelection against now incumbent Gov. Rhodora “Dodod” Cadiao.
After serving his third and final term as congressman in 2019, Paolo unsuccessfully challenged Cadiao for governor.
His father Boy Ex was defeated by then Sen. Loren Legarda for the lone congressional seat in 2019.
The Javiers were in power in Antique for almost 30 years until they were defeated in the 2016 and 2019 elections. Paolo’s father Boy Ex either was sitting governor or congressman.
Paolo is the nephew of Evelio Javier, the former governor who was assassinated in 1986 for guarding the votes of Corazon Aquino during the snap elections that year.
Evelio’s death in the provincial capital was one of the events that led to the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution that ousted President Ferdinand Marcos Sr.