# 2022 Santa Cruz, Laguna, local elections

Local elections were held in Santa Cruz on Monday, May 9, 2022, as a part of the 2022 Philippine general election. Voters will select candidates for all local positions: a town mayor, vice mayor and town councilors, as well as members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, a governor, a vice-governor and a representative for the province's fourth congressional district in the House of Representatives.

## Background

In 2019 elections Edgar San Luis run as Mayor of Santa Cruz under the Nacionalista Party to succeed incumbent and term-limited Domingo Panganiban who wad running for Vice-Mayor. San Luis later won against to then incumbent Laguna Board member Joseph Kris Benjamin Agarao of PDP–Laban and to former Mayor Ariel Magcalas of KDP.
Incumbent Mayor Edgar San Luis is running for reelection under the Aksyon Demokratiko he's facing Laguna's 4th District Benjamin Agarao Jr. of PDP–Laban.
During the campaign period of the 2022 election, Incumbent Mayor of Manila Isko Moreno endorsed Edgar San Luis and Louie de Leon, while former Senator (later President) Bongbong Marcos endorsed Benjamin Agarao Jr. and Laarni Malibiran.

## Tickets
### Administration coalition

Team Serbisyong may Puso :
| # | Name | Party |
| For Mayor ||||
| 2. | Edgar San Luis | Aksyon |
| For Vice Mayor ||||
| 1. | Louie de Leon | Aksyon |
| For Councilor ||||
| 4. | Efren Diaz | Aksyon |
| 6. | Querubin Gabinete | Aksyon |
| 8. | Angelito Joven | Aksyon |
| 13. | Lucena Odejar | Aksyon |
| 14. | Alan Pamatmat | Aksyon |
| 15. | Ambiel Panganiban | Aksyon |
| 18. | Ramon Tan | Aksyon |
| 19. | Norman Tolentino | Aksyon |

### Primary opposition coalition

Team Tropang pang Masa :
| # | Name | Party |
| For Mayor ||||
| 1. | Benjamin Agarao Jr. | PDP–Laban |
| For Vice Mayor ||||
| None ||||
| For Councilor ||||
| 1. | Lea Almarves | PDP–Laban |
| 2. | Frederick Ambrocio | PDP–Laban |
| 3. | Esmeraldo de las Armas Jr. | PDP–Laban |
| 5. | Renato Ernas | PDP–Laban |
| 7. | Demmer Halili | PDP–Laban |
| 10. | Rizaldy Kalaw | PDP–Laban |
| 12. | Mia Martinez | PDP–Laban |
| 16. | Serafin San Juan Jr. | PDP–Laban |

### Other coalitions and parties

Progressive Movement for the Devolution of Initiatives :
| # | Name | Party |
| For Vice Mayor ||||
| 2. | Laarni Malibiran | PROMDI |
| For Councilor ||||
| 9. | Mark Anthony Joven | PROMDI |
Independent politician :
| # | Name | Party |
| For Councilor ||||
| 11. | Romonito Lauta | Independent |
| 17. | Percy San Miguel | Independent |

## Results

The candidates for mayor and vice mayor with the highest number of votes wins the seat; they are voted separately, therefore, they may be of different parties when elected.

### Mayor

Incumbent Edgar San Luis is running for reelection under Aksyon Demokratiko his main opponent is incumbent Laguna's 4th District Representative Benjamin Agarao Jr. of PDP–Laban.
2022 Santa Cruz mayoralty election :
| # | Candidate | Coalition | Coalition | Party | Party | Votes | % |
| 1. | Edgar San Luis Sr. (Incumbent) | | Serbisyong may Puso | | Aksyon | 33,062 | 50.97 |
| 2. | Benjamin Agarao Jr. | | Tropang pang Masa | | PDP–Laban | 31,809 | 49.03 |
| Valid ballots | Valid ballots | Valid ballots | Valid ballots | Valid ballots | Valid ballots | 64,871 | 81.15 |
| Margin of victory | Margin of victory | Margin of victory | Margin of victory | Margin of victory | Margin of victory | 1,253 | 1.94 |
| Invalid or blank ballots | Invalid or blank ballots | Invalid or blank ballots | Invalid or blank ballots | Invalid or blank ballots | Invalid or blank ballots | 15,067 | 18.85 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 79,938 | 100.00 |
| | Aksyon hold | Aksyon hold | Aksyon hold | Aksyon hold | Aksyon hold | Aksyon hold | Aksyon hold |
Popular vote percentage
Edgar San Luis
50.97%
Benjamin Agarao Jr.
49.03% :

### Vice Mayor

Incumbent Laarni Malibiran is running for reelection her main opponent is Incumbent Councilor and also her predecessor Louie de Leon.
2022 Santa Cruz vice mayoralty election :
| # | Candidate | Coalition | Coalition | Party | Party | Votes | % |
| 1. | Laarni Malibiran (Incumbent) | | Tropang pang Masa (Guest Candidate) | | PROMDI | 37,099 | 59.74 |
| 2. | Louie de Leon | | Serbisyon may Puso | | Aksyon | 24,997 | 40.26 |
| Valid ballots | Valid ballots | Valid ballots | Valid ballots | Valid ballots | Valid ballots | 62,096 | 77.68 |
| Margin of victory | Margin of victory | Margin of victory | Margin of victory | Margin of victory | Margin of victory | 12,102 | 19.48 |
| Invalid or blank ballots | Invalid or blank ballots | Invalid or blank ballots | Invalid or blank ballots | Invalid or blank ballots | Invalid or blank ballots | 17,842 | 22.32 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 79,938 | 100.00 |
| | PROMDI hold | PROMDI hold | PROMDI hold | PROMDI hold | PROMDI hold | PROMDI hold | PROMDI hold |
Popular vote percentage
Laarni Malibiran
59.74%
Louis de Leon
40.26% :

### Sangguniang Bayan

Election is via plurality-at-large voting: A voter votes for up to eight candidates, then the eight candidates with the highest number of votes are elected.
| Party or alliance | Party or alliance | Party or alliance | Party or alliance | Votes | % | Seats |
| | Aksyon Demokratiko | Aksyon Demokratiko | Aksyon Demokratiko | 203,491 | 48.95 | 4 |
| | PDP–Laban | PDP–Laban | PDP–Laban | 177,137 | 42.61 | 3 |
| | PROMDI | PROMDI | PROMDI | 25,087 | 6.03 | 1 |
| | Independent | Independent | Independent | 9,981 | 2.04 | 0 |
| Ex officio seats | Ex officio seats | Ex officio seats | Ex officio seats | | | 2 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 415,696 | 100.00 | 10 |
Vote share
Aksyon
48.95%
PDP–Laban
42.61%
PROMDI
6.03%
Independent
2.04% :
Municipal Council seats
Aksyon
50.00%
PDP–Laban
37.50%
PROMDI
12.50% :
2022 Santa Cruz sangguniang bayan election :
| # | Candidate | Coalition | Coalition | Party | Party | Votes | % |
| 1. | Ambiel John Panganiban (Incumbent) | | Serbisyong may Puso | | Aksyon | 34,775 | 8.37 |
| 2. | Lea Almarves (Incumbent) | | Tropang pang Masa | | PDP–Laban | 29,711 | 7.15 |
| 3. | Norman Tolentino | | Serbisyong may Puso | | Aksyon | 27,828 | 6.69 |
| 4. | Esmeraldo De Las Armas Jr. | | Tropang pang Masa | | PDP–Laban | 26,911 | 6.47 |
| 5. | Pasirit Kalaw | | Tropang pang Masa | | PDP–Laban | 26,626 | 6.41 |
| 6. | Mark Anthony Joven (Incumbent) | | Tropang pang Masa (Guest Candidate) | | PROMDI | 25,087 | 6.03 |
| 7. | Lucena Odejar (Incumbent) | | Serbisyong may Puso | | Aksyon | 25,087 | 6.03 |
| 8. | Alan Pamatmat (Incumbent) | | Serbisyong may Puso | | Aksyon | 24,667 | 5.93 |
| 9. | Efren Diaz (Incumbent) | | Serbisyong may Puso | | Aksyon | 24,322 | 5.85 |
| 10. | Angelito Joven | | Serbisyong may Puso | | Aksyon | 22,537 | 5.42 |
| 11. | Ramon Tan (Incumbent) | | Serbisyong may Puso | | Aksyon | 22,179 | 5.34 |
| 12. | Querubin Gabinete | | Serbisyong may Puso | | Aksyon | 22,096 | 5.32 |
| 13. | Serafin San Juan Jr. | | Tropang pang Masa | | PDP–Laban | 21,494 | 5.17 |
| 14. | Mia Martinez | | Tropang pang Masa | | PDP–Laban | 21,145 | 5.09 |
| 15. | Demmer Halili | | Tropang pang Masa | | PDP–Laban | 18,990 | 4.57 |
| 16. | Frederick Ambrosio | | Tropang pang Masa | | PDP–Laban | 16,543 | 3.98 |
| 17. | Renato Ernas | | Tropang pang Masa | | PDP–Laban | 15,717 | 3.78 |
| 18. | Percy San Miguel | | | | Independent | 8,522 | 2.05 |
| 19. | Ramonito Lauta | | | | Independent | 1,459 | 0.35 |
| Valid ballots | Valid ballots | Valid ballots | Valid ballots | Valid ballots | Valid ballots | 415,696 | 65.00 |
| Invalid or blank ballots | Invalid or blank ballots | Invalid or blank ballots | Invalid or blank ballots | Invalid or blank ballots | Invalid or blank ballots | 223,808 | 35.00 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 639,504 | 100.00 |

## Aftermath

After the Municipal Board of Canvassers proclaimed reelectionist Edgar "Egay" San Luis of Aksyon Demokratiko, The supporters of then incumbent Congressman Benjamin Agarao Jr. of PDP–Laban said the election was cheated and will file a complaint against San Luis. On the 14th of July 2023, one year after the elections some groups and individuals go to the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) office in Santa Cruz, Laguna to file for a Recall election for the position of Mayor, The COMELEC accept the complaint. On the 17th of July 2023, three days after the complaint was filed and accept by the COMELEC the incumbent Mayor Edgar San Luis official answer the questions of his supporters, he said Who ever is the person behind all this will be held prosecuted because only in the early 2023, Rumors has it that someone is buying the signature of a townsman and has a bribe of five hundred pesos and three/five kilos of rice.