Compostela recanvassing underway

CEBU, Philippines - The recanvassing of votes in Compostela may start very soon after the Commission on Elections provincial office has submitted the election returns and the statements of votes to the Comelec en banc.

Comelec provincial supervisor Lionel Marco Castillano said they have already sent the election returns and statements of votes from the 15 precincts protested by former Compostela mayor Ritchie Wagas.

Castillano said the documents were submitted via a courier service last Wednesday. The documents were addressed directly to the head of the special board of canvassers created for the purpose.

Castillano said the recanvassing is scheduled to start on February 27, based on the notice sent by the special board of canvassers to the Comelec regional office. The special board was created by the Comelec to avoid biases.

The Compostela town has been operating without a mayor and councilors after the Comelec has annulled the proclamation of mayor-elect Joel Quinio and all the winning councilors because of the protest filed by Wagas.

The annulment came after the poll body found basis in the allegation of Wagas that the results from some clustered precincts were not transmitted and were left out in the final canvass of votes. – (FREEMAN)