Pasig bet seeks to suspend counting

Pasig City mayoralty candidate, Rep. Henry Lanot asked the Commission on Elections (Comelec) yesterday to suspend the canvassing and counting of votes in the city until it has resolved the disqualification case he filed against his opponent, former Mayor Vicente Eusebio.

Three exit polls showed Eusebio yesterday leading the mayoral race, but Lanot, citing local Comelec records, said it was the other way around.

Lanot, running under the Lakas-CMD, filed the motion to suspend the canvassing, counting and proclamation for the mayoral post pending implementation of the resolution of the Comelec’s 1st Division, barring Eusebio from running in the polls.

"This motion is for the mayoral position only. The Comelec en banc should resolve first the resolution on Eusebio’s disqualification," Lanot told reporters.

He said their efforts to have Eusebio disqualified from the mayoral race would be wasted if the Comelec continues with its canvassing of votes in the mayoral contest.

"The canvassing and counting of votes would be prejudicial to us," Lanot explained.

Lanot said he expects the Comelec’s 1st Division to decide on his motion on Friday. Earlier, the Comelec National Capital Region (NCR) disqualified Eusebio, for massive vote-buying and faking a survey result.

However, Eusebio, husband of incumbent Mayor Soledad Eusebio, managed to secure a memorandum signed by Comelec Chairman Benjamin Abalos Sr. stopping the implementation of the Comelec’s resolution hours before the casting of votes last Monday. — Non Alquitran