In a 10-page decision, the Comelec affirmed an earlier ruling to void two additional council seats, which had been made available as a result of an encoding error.
The new Comelec decision paved the way for Councilors Isagani Santos (District 1) and Rogelio Yanga (District 2) to step down. Both ran under Mayor Amado Vicencio’s ticket in the May 14 polls.
The Comelec admitted it was responsible for the error, citing a computer encoding lapse.
The two officials, who had earlier threatened to sue the Comelec, said it was not their fault that they were proclaimed winners by the poll body.
Malabon became a city on April 21, 2001 following a plebiscite. Before the May 14 congressional and local elections, registered voters of Malabon were instructed to vote for seven candidates per district.
On election day, then Comelec chairman Alfredo Benipayo announced in a television interview that only six councilors per district should be elected in Malabon.
On May 31 of the same year, the City Board of Canvassers proclaimed seven winning candidates for each of Malabon’s two districts, including Yanga and Santos. – Jerry Botial