Compostela leaders to be known today?

CEBU, Philippines - Will Compostela residents finally know their leaders?

The newly created Special Municipal Board of Canvassers of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) is expected to convene at the Palacio del Gobernador Building in Manila this morning to canvass the returns and statements of votes of 15 precincts that are under protest.

The protest, stemming from the 2010 elections, was filed by former Compostela Mayor Ritchie Wagas against mayor-elect Joel Quiño.

Governor Gwendolyn Garcia expressed hope that the issue will be resolved today. Compostela has been “orphaned” for almost two years without duly elected officials attending to its affairs.

“Di lang amahan ug inahan nawa hasta pa ilang mga tiyo ug tiyo. I’m really, really looking forward to the resolution of this issue,” Garcia said.

So as not to deprive residents of basic services, the provincial government has channeled its support straight to the barangay officials.

However, because of the absence of a budget that is supposed to be prepared by the mayor, employees of Compostela have not been granted the salary increase employees of other towns now enjoy.

Even if there was an executive budget, there is also no Municipal Council to approve the same.

The Special Municipal Board of Canvassers was created by the Comelec to avoid biases. It is composed of lawyers Consuelo Diola as chairman, Emilio Marañon III as vice chairman and John Gerald dela Cruz as secretary-member.

Aside from Wagas and Quiño, also notified in today’s re-canvassing in Manila are Duque Arceo, Mary Antonette Dangoy, Josephine Abing, Jonathan Alquizalas, Alfredo Cabatingan, Joy Anne Cabatingan, Jose Cagang, Wilfredo Calo, Homer Canen, Tessa Cang, Nenita Dagatan, Venancio Gatdula Jr., Edilberto Luna, Francisco Oliverio, Carlos Paradiang, Apolinario Saso, Serapio Tejero Jr., Glenn Villaceran, Jasper Villaceran Sr. Marito Yraola and Fe Yuson, all candidates in the May 2010 elections.

Quiño’s proclamation as mayor, Dangoy as vice mayor and Abing, Joy Anne, Cang, Calo, Canen, Cagang, Alfredo and Oliverio as councilors was annulled when Wagas filed the protest. — (FREEMAN)