Village chief has 54 days left as ABC prexy

CEBU, Philippines - Barely two months before the next elections, a San Remigio, Cebu barangay captain is taking over as ex-officio member of the town council.

This is after he finally won the Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) president’s seat he was denied of in 2010.

The National Executive Board of the ABC, also known as Liga ng mga Barangay (LnB) sa Pilipinas, has upheld Kanagahan Barangay Captain Jaime Vistar’s motion for reconsideration, declaring him the new San Remigio ABC president.

Vistar has earlier questioned Argawanon Barangay Captain Conrado Loon’s victory over him as ABC president after the December 2010 elections.

The ABC president serves as ex-officio member of the city or town council.

While Vistar’s petition was still pending, Loon ran and won as a duly election town councilor in the elections last May. As a result, Calambua Barangay Captain Lou Ornopia and ABC vice president assumed the post Loon vacated.

Vistar filed a manifestation with motion for early resolution on June 26, 2013 and a supplemental manifestation on July 9, 2013, both after the May 13 elections.

The LnB Board noted that no intervention or substitution of parties was received until its final decision was rendered.

Citing a Supreme Court decision, the Board said that, “it will clearly appear that Hon. Conrado A. Loon has lost any standing insofar as this particularly controversy is concerned.”

It resolved that “the motion for reconsideration filed by Hon. Jaime C. Vistar be given due course and granted, and the previous resolutions contrary to this present resolution shall be deemed set aside.”

Vistar forwarded Wednesday a copy of the July 26, 2013 decision to Mayor Mariano Martinez, who immediately administered the oath of office to the new ABC president and municipal councilor.

Vistar again took his oath of office before Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III at the Capitol yesterday.

The 2010 ABC presidency in San Remigio was unique because Loon and Vistar initially agreed to a term-sharing scheme after they each got 13 votes in the election.

A day after, however, the board of canvassers made Loon the winner after Toong barangay Captain Merlyn Cabataña executed an affidavit stating she mistakenly wrote in the space for vice president her choice of Loon as ABC president.

Former mayor Jay Olivar fought to have Cabataña’s vote be counted in favor of Loon, an ally. The board caved in and proclaimed Loon as the ABC president.— /RHM (FREEMAN)