Contreras to take a break from politics

By Felipe V. Celino

ROXAS CITY, Capiz – Outgoing Capiz Governor Esteban Evan “Nonoy” Contreras will take a rest from politics after losing his reelections bid to second district Rep. Fredenil “Oto” Castro in the recent national and local elections.

“I will focus myself on my business, my family and give myself some attention,” Contreras said in a recent media interview.

He said that he has been in the public service for 18 years after serving as a board member, a vice governor, and a governor.

He said he never regretted serving Capiceños to the best of his abilities.

He also assured to support Castro.

The 2022 elections was an unfortunate episode for the Contreras family.

Running in key positions in the province, no one from the closely-knit political family succeeded in their respective bids.

Castro bagged the gubernatorial seat after garnering 253,074 votes against Contreras’ 151,218 ballots.

Contreras’s father, Mayor Esteban “Dodoy Evan” Contreras of Pontevedra town, also lost his congressional bid to incumbent Rep. Emmanuel “Tawi” Billones of the province’s first district.

The older Contreras only got around 54,558 against Billones’ 110,349 votes.

The losing streak continued as Sangguniang Panlalawigan member Esteban Jose “Steve” Contreras,” the governor’s brother, also lost the mayoralty race in Pontevedra town.

Barangay Captain Henry Tumlos of Lantangan won the race by a margin of close to 4,000 votes.

All three Contreras clan members ran under Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan.

Gov. Contreras was only ahead by 300 hundred votes against Castro in their hometown Pontevedra.

Dodoy Evan only garnered 9,118 votes against Billones’ 13,310 votes in Pontevedra, where the former is the current mayor.

Meanwhile, Steve’s son, Esteban “EJ” Contreras, also lost his bid for a Sangguniang Bayan seat in Pontevedra.

EJ, the former Sangguniang Kabataan federation president of Pontevedra, only placed 15th. His wife, Lara Contreras, also ran as SB member in Sapi-an town. But she also did not make it to the top 8 winning candidates.

Spouses EJ and Lara ran as independent candidates.

Nicolai Contreras, a cousin of Nonoy and Steve, also lost his bid for an SB seat in Panay town.

Voters claimed that “political funding” may have been a factor in their loss to equally moneyed candidates.