While the so-called “Duterte magic” failed to catapult losing gubernatorial bet Leoncio Evasco, Jr. to victory, it apparently worked for most of President Rodrigo Duterte’s senatorial candidates in Bohol.

Eight of the 11 senatorial bets who basked in the glow of the popular administration and were endorsed by Duterte himself were inside the “Magic 12” of the province.

The top five senatorial candidates in Bohol are all part of the Duterte slate led by Cynthia Villar who garnered 391,972 votes. She was followed by Bato dela Rosa (354,114), Bong Go (344,646), Pia Cayetano (325,038) and Sonny Angara (303,457), based on the Commission on Elections’ transparency server tally.

Other Duterte candidates who made it to the local Magic 12 were Francis Tolentino (253,034) at seventh, Koko Pimentel (229,576) at eighth and JV Ejercito (178,780) at the 12^th spot.

Days before the elections, Duterte visited Bohol to show support for the gubernatorial candidacy of his longtime ally Evasco.

Evasco who ran under the Nationalist People’s Coalition however lost to PDP–Laban candidate Deputy Speaker Arthur Yap by a slim margin.

Meanwhile, as Duterte heavily campaigned against the opposition “Otso Diretso” even in Bohol, reelectionist Sen. Bam Aquino who ran under the said coalition made it to the province’s top 12, securing the 11^th spot.

Bohol used to be a known bailiwick of the Liberal Party (LP), Aquino’s political party, but the province quickly transformed into Duterte country during the 2016 presidential elections.

Other candidates of the LP-backed Otso Diretso including former presidential bet Mar Roxas had lackluster poll standings in the province.

Roxas was ranked 18^th, Chel Diokno 20^th, Gary Alejano 24^th, Erin Tañada 29^th, Macaromy Macalintal 30^th, Samira Gutoc 32^nd and Pilo Hilbay 33^rd.

Malacañang had earlier attributed the dominance of Duterte’s allies in the Senate race to his “magic,” which apparently meant the aministration’s popularity. In the national partial, unofficial count, nine of Duterte’s bets are in the Magic 12 as of Monday.

NATIONAL PARTIAL-UNOFFICIAL TALLY:

1. VILLAR, CYNTHIA (NP) – 25,118,965

2. POE, GRACE (IND) – 21,913,157

3. GO, BONG GO (PDPLBN) – 20,456,634

4. CAYETANO, PIA (NP) – 19,635,429

5. DELA ROSA, BATO (PDPLBN) – 18,805,707

6. ANGARA, EDGARDO SONNY (LDP) – 18,043,450

7. LAPID, LITO (NPC) – 16,881,514

8. MARCOS, IMEE (NP) – 15,732,445

9. TOLENTINO, FRANCIS (PDPLBN) – 15,370,463

10. PIMENTEL, KOKO (PDPLBN) – 14,550,380

11. BONG REVILLA, RAMON JR (LAKAS) – 14,547,185

12. BINAY, NANCY (UNA) – 14,449,155

13. EJERCITO, ESTRADA JV (NPC) – 14,226,189

14. AQUINO, BENIGNO BAM (LP) – 14,081,331

15. ESTRADA, JINGGOY (PMP) – 11,306,562