Nueva Vizcaya governor belies losing in vote recount

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya — "I’m still the governor."

Thus declared Gov. Luisa Lloren-Cuaresma yesterday, dispelling rumors that an officer-in-charge would be taking over her post pending the results of the ongoing recount of votes in the May 10 gubernatorial race.

"Due to the election protest filed against me with the Comelec (Commission on Elections), somebody else would be taking over the (helm of the) province. This is farthest from the truth," said the first-term governor.

Cuaresma called on her critics to refrain from spreading "baseless and unfounded" statements which she said only create chaos and divisiveness among Novo Vizcayanons.

Cuaresma’s statement came amid reports that her lead of more than 2,000 votes over former board member Leonardo Perez Jr., her closest rival, has been overtaken in the ongoing Comelec recount in Manila.

Rumors have it that Cuaresma would stay on as governor only up to this month, after which Perez would take over the governorship.

"We would like to make it clear that the ongoing (recount) has given us much hope that the voice of the people will be heard in the end," she said.

The Comelec started recounting votes in the gubernatorial race last July 19 as an offshoot of the electoral protest filed by Perez, son and namesake of former senator, congressman and Comelec chairman Leonardo Perez Sr.

Claiming he had been cheated of victory in the last elections, Perez Jr. sought a recount of votes from 308 polling precincts in the towns of Kasibu, Dupax Del Norte, Dupax Del Sur and Bambang, where Cuaresma served as mayor for three consecutive terms before becoming vice governor for two terms.

Perez claimed that the total number of votes garnered by the three gubernatorial candidates exceeded the total number of voters who were able to cast their votes.

Perez, who ran under the Koalisyon ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino-Nationalist People’s Coalition, claimed that he would win by more than 1,000 votes had the votes cast in the five towns been properly counted.

However, the initial results of the recount of votes from Bambang, Dupax Del Norte and Dupax Del Sur towns show that Cuaresma has maintained her lead over Perez despite minor changes in the tallies of her two rivals.

The ongoing recount also takes into account Cuaresma’s counter petition seeking a recount of votes cast in 366 polling precincts in the towns of Solano, Bagabag and Bayombong (the capital), which are the traditional bailiwicks of the Perezes.

In the complete and official count of the provincial board of canvassers (PBOC), Cuaresma obtained 57,008 votes against Perez’s 53,227. The third candidate, human rights lawyer Ernesto Salun-at of the Lakas-CMD, got 32,062 votes.

As a result, the PBOC proclaimed Cuaresma as the governor-elect. She officially assumed the post last June 30, making her the fifth woman to become Nueva Vizcaya governor after Corazon Espino, Natalia Dumlao, Betty Calderon and Ruth Padilla.

"Our lead has not been altered so far as the current revision results are considered. This is a development that could lead to more votes in my favor... We will remain victorious," said Cuaresma in a statement.

For his part, Perez has been avoiding issuing statements on the ongoing recount, saying he would rather wait for the Comelec’s decision on his electoral protest.