Violence-marred Payatas poll winners declared

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has finally proclaimed the winners in last Monday’s village and youth council elections in Payatas, Quezon City, according to radio reports yesterday.

The announcement came days after supporters of candidates broke down the gates of the Payatas Elementary School, kept teachers hostage, and took election documents during the canvassing of votes Wednesday night.

Radio reports said election officer Dinah Valencia proclaimed the winning candidate for barangay captain, Rosario Datulo, along with other candidates who won as village councilors after canvassing of votes were completed over the weekend in Quezon City Hall.

On Saturday morning, members of the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) retrieved election documents that were left in the polling precincts at the height of the confusion.

The lawmen brought the retrieved documents to the Comelec’s Quezon City office.

Valencia has said a failure of election in Payatas-A could not be declared since people were able to cast their ballots during the conduct of the elections on Oct. 29.

She warned that those who had participated in last Wednesday’s incident will be charged and jailed for election offenses since they disturbed the vote count and destroyed election paraphernalia.

Twelve candidates ran for barangay chairman in Payatas-A, while 110 aspired to be council members.      – Katherine Adraneda