One Cebu pundits to analyze polls

CEBU, Philippines - The One Cebu Party has started making its assessment of the conduct of last Monday’s elections.

The party’s president, suspended Governor Gwendolyn, attended the meeting of its member candidates who were elected, re-elected and defeated in a restaurant in Cebu City shortly before going to the Provincial Capitol for her proclamation as winner of the congressional race in the third district.

It was the first time for Gwen to return to the Capitol since she left on February to go campaigning and her office was padlocked behind her.

The party’s gubernatorial candidate, third district Rep. Pablo John Garcia, told reporters that they have ongoing consultations among the members on how the election was conducted.

Pablo John said that their legal consultant, former Commission on Elections commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal, will be in Cebu tomorrow to look at everything.

“As you can see, daghan problema without us saying it,” Pablo John said.

For the meantime, Pablo John said he is very careful in issuing statements about the conduct of the elections as he doesn’t want to make an irresponsible comment.

He said that there are serious questions but he has to be sure before making any statement.

“More than anything else, the most important thing is the people’s faith in the electoral process,” Pablo John said.

Pablo John is still behind his opponent, Hilario Davide III, in the ongoing canvassing of votes by the Provincial Board of Canvassers at the Capitol.

One Cebu mayoralty candidate, Ritchie Wagas, said that the issue that marred the election was basically the same in 2010 with regards to the Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machines.

“Di malikayan ang resentment sa mga tawo kay lagi na-proven na in court last 2010 ang maong problema,” Wagas said.

Wagas filed a protest in 2010 against Mayor Joel Quiño resulting to the long delay for Compostela to have the elected officials to sit in.

Wagas said he is now coordinating with One Cebu leadership now that the problem did not only occur in Compostela but in the entire the Province of Cebu. —/BRP (FREEMAN)