3 weeks before elections: Punta Engaño new village chief assumes post

CEBU, Philippines — Former barangay councilor Diosaminda Hayashi of Punta Engaño in Lapu-Lapu City has assumed office as the new village chief yesterday, a few weeks before the barangay elections.

Hayashi reported for work and met with personnel who have previously worked with unseated barangay captain Lourdes Ibag.

She said one of her priorities is to identify the needs of the barangay and how to come up with solutions with the guidance of her barangay staff.

"Ako lang sila ipatawag ang mga barangay staff. Magila-ila sa atong barangay," Hayashi said.

On April 20, the Commission on Elections en banc proclaimed Hayashi as the rightful winner for village chief in the 2013 elections, not Ibag.

The decision came barely three weeks before the barangay elections on May 14.

Hayashi said Comelec-7 director Victorio Petalcorin informed her that she can now assume as barangay captain following the Comelec en banc decision.

Yesterday, Ibag was not in the barangay hall.

Hayashi was ready to show to her the documents proving that she is the winner in the past elections.

She has with her a writ of execution issued by the Lapu-Lapu City Hall of Justice and a copy of the Comelec en banc decision.

Ibag had previously said that she will no longer file an appeal even if the result "was not justifiable."

Based on the final ruling, Comelec noted that Hayashi got more than 150 votes against Ibag during the 2013 elections.

Hayashi is running for barangay captain this year. Ibag will also be running but only for barangay councilor under the slate of barangay captain candidate Crisanto Baring.

After all what happened between her and Ibag, Hayashi wishes that both of them will work together for good of the barangay

"Maghiusa ta, magtinabangay ta sa barangay. Di ta magkontra kay mag-igsoon rata sa atong barangay," Hayashi said.

Initially, Ibag was declared the winner in 2013 but Hayashi filed a protest before the Comelec.

In 2014, former Lapu-Lapu City Judge Allan Francisco Garciano declared Hayashi as the true winner but Ibag’s camp filed an appeal before the Comelec en banc in Manila.

In the same year, Ibag filed twice a motion for reconsideration before the Electoral Contests Adjudication Department (ECAD) of the Comelec en banc but both were denied. —/MBG (FREEMAN)