Garcia claims victory in Yapha’s poll protest

CEBU, Philippines - The camp of third district Rep. Gwendolyn Garcia has claimed victory over the election protest filed by defeated congressional aspirant, Geraldine Yapha, based on the results of the revision of ballots conducted by the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal.

A post on Garcia’s Facebook account claimed that the results increased Garcia’s winning margin against Yapha from 1,984 to 2,264 votes.

Garcia’s post states that the physical count of ballots in the 109 pilot precincts contested by Yapha, there were 424 votes were reportedly added to her total votes, while 144 votes were added to that of Yapha. 

“The results of the recount effectively increased Garcia’s lead over Yapha from 1,984 to 2,264 votes, confirming further Garcia’s victory over Yapha in the 2013 Elections,” according to the post.

The figures however are not consistent with Garcia’s supposed actual lead and that of the votes added to her after the recount. Garcia was earlier declared winner by the Commission on Elections with 1,984 votes against Yapha. If, after the recount, Garcia was added 424 votes her lead would have been 2,408 votes and not 2,264 as claimed by them on Facebook.

Yapha, who confirmed that the recount was over, also presented a different figure. According to Yapha, the results of the revision and recount of ballots from the 109 pilot precincts in the third district show that 399 votes were added to Garcia and 154 votes were added to her.

But she clarified that this is only 25 percent of the entire 434 precincts in the district.

Of the 109 pilot precincts, Yapha claimed that there were 12,012 “objectionable” ballots which were not counted either to her or to Garcia. She described Garcia’s claimed of victory as premature.

The HRET chaired by Supreme Court Associate Justice Presbitero Velasco Jr. is set to issue a resolution whether to continue the revision of remaining 75 percent of the contested ballots or not.

 â€œI’m hopeful that they will proceed with the 75 percent,” Yapha said.

Yapha earlier filed an election protest against Garcia claiming that there were 41, 858 stray ballots that were not counted. â€” (FREEMAN)