First poll protest filed vs Arenas

DAGUPAN CITY – Rachel Arenas, daughter of socialite Rosemarie “Baby” Arenas, still faces a tough battle despite winning the third district congressional seat in Pangasinan as her two rivals filed separate election protest cases at the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal (HRET).

Mary Tulagan, mother of defeated congressional candidate Generoso Tulagan Jr., confirmed to The STAR yesterday that they filed the case at the HRET on May 29. Tulagan’s father is the outgoing congressman.

“It’s another tough fight but we have to do it because as you can see the margin is very small,” she said.

Arenas won by a margin of 617 votes only against Tulagan who ranked second.

Lawyer Reddy Balarbar, provincial election supervisor, told The STAR in a separate interview that lawyer Gallant Soriano, who was third in the ranking, also filed the same case at the HRET.

Meanwhile, in Pozorrubio town, defeated mayoralty candidate Ernesto Go filed an election protest case against winning candidate Emma Chan at a regional trial court.

In Aguilar town, defeated mayoralty bet Alberto Zamuco also filed an election protest case against his lone rival, re-elected Mayor Ricardo Evangelista – Eva Visperas