Evidence on ‘dagdag-bawas’ found

The National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) reported yesterday another apparent attempt at vote-padding involving the race for vice-governorship of Rizal province.

Namfrel lawyer Jose Bernas is set to submit a report on the alleged anomaly to the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

A certificate of canvass (COC) submitted by the municipal board of canvassers of Binangonan, Rizal reportedly showed that Teodoro O’Hara, a candidate for vice governor, garnered 35,754 votes.

However, a tally of the statement of votes turned in by the 427 precincts in the town totaled only 28,754, a Namfrel statement said.

The same documents correctly credited another vice gubernatorial aspirant, Jovita Rodriguez, with 18,871 votes.

The faulty COC bore the signatures of Maria Luz Caedo, head of the municipal board of canvassers, her assistant Rosalina Piguing and Rosario Vallestro.

Namfrel is still looking at the possibility of similar anomalies involving other elective positions.

It was the second incident of apparent cheating in the canvassing of ballots in last week’s local and congressional elections.

The first incident involved apparent dagdag-bawas (vote-shaving/padding) as reflected in the statement of votes submitted by the municipal board of canvassers of Estancia, Iloilo affecting the senatorial derby.

Meanwhile, opposition re-electionist Sen. Gregorio Honasan urged the people to maintain their vigilance over the canvassing of ballots in the wake of alleged attempts by some quarters to undermine the credibility of poll results.

Honasan issued the call following reports that he was cheated of about 10,000 votes in Quezon City which were erroneously credited to administration senatorial bet Ernesto Herrera.

"This is a glaring incident that I, too, am a victim of dagdag-bawas scheme. It isn’t enough we have guarded our votes in the precinct. The cheating actually happens in canvassing centers in connivance with some Comelec officers," Honasan said in a statement. –Sandy Araneta