Compostela poll row Re-canvassing moved from Cebu to Manila

CEBU, Philippines - The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has granted the motion of former Compostela Mayor Ritchie Wagas to transfer to Manila the re-canvassing of votes in the town in last year’s elections.

The Comelec also granted the request to create a new board of canvassers.

The Commission En Banc, headed by chairman Sixto Brillantes, Jr., acted on the motion after the camp of respondents Joel Quiño, vice mayor Maria Antoinette Dangoy, and eight councilors, did not object to Wagas’ petition.

Cebu Provincial Election Supervisor Lionel Castillano received the order dated November 18 yesterday.

Wagas filed the motion last June 27 this year. Comelec then issued an order requiring the respondents to file their comment on the motion, but in a letter dated October 3, the respondents said they had no objection.

Instead, Quiño and his camp requested the Commission to immediately canvass the votes in the clustered precincts that are subject of the petition.

This is pursuant to the June 13, 2011 Resolution of the Commission, considering that one and a half years have elapsed since the May 2010 elections.

The Commission said justice and fairness prompted them to transfer the venue of the canvassing considering that peace in Compostela, and consequently the security of the ballot boxes, are uncertain.

“To transfer the canvassing to Manila would certainly augment, if not guarantee, the attainment of neutral and credible counting of the results of the May 10, 2010 elections in Compostela, Cebu,” the Commission said.

Considering the fact that the remaining time of service for those duly elected in Compostela is already short, the Commission “frowns upon further delays in the canvassing.”

“Further motions that would, in effect, stay the proceedings would be strictly construed against their granting,” the Commission said.

The En Banc commissioners are Rene Sarmiento, Lucenito Tagle, Armando Velasco, Elias Yusoph, Christian Robert Lim, and Augusto Lagman.

They recognized that the situation in Compostela regarding the elections is very fragile and the security of the canvassing may be compromised if the canvassing is held in Cebu.

The situation became clearer, they said, when violence erupted in the town last May when die-hard supporters of Quiño forcefully hammered and destroyed the padlock of the main door of the town’s municipal hall.

Led by Quiño, the supporters then entered and occupied the Office of the Mayor and other offices.

The canvassing, according to the Commission, if held in Cebu, will bring more heat to the already brewing and fragile situation in the town.

“To protect and avoid similar untoward incident or even worst incident that may possibly happen, it is for the better interest that the venue of canvassing should not be in Cebu, and Comelec-Manila is a perfect place for the canvassing,” the Commission said. — (FREEMAN)