Comelec decides to hold recanvassing of Compostela votes in the capital

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) en banc has granted the petition of former Compostela mayor Ritchie Wagas to transfer the recanvassing of ballots to Manila.

The Comelec order, signed by Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. and six commissioners, said transferring the vote recount to Manila “would certainly augment, if not guarantee, the attainment of neutral and credible counting” of the results of the May 10, 2010 election in Compostela.

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Joel Quiño, the mayoral bet who led Wagas by about 2,300 votes in the May 2010 poll, made no objection to the petition for transfer.

“Considering that the enforcement or execution of the June 13, 2011 resolution has been pending and that the remaining term of office allotted to the duly elected officers of Compostela is already short, this commission frowns upon further delays in the canvassing of the votes subject of the resolution,” the Comelec en banc order read.

All or some

The order did not say though if the re-canvassing would cover all election returns or only those from precinct clusters that are under protest.

Provincial Election Supervior Lionel Marco Castillano, who received the en banc order yesterday afternoon, said the Comelec will form a special Board of Canvassers (BOC), which will specify the scope of the recount.

He said he is waiting for another order to clarify the issue.

Castillano believes that since it will be recanvassing, only election returns will be sent to Manila.

Wagas filed an election protest that prevented Quiño, Vice Mayor Maria Antoinette Dangoy and Councilors Josephine Abing, Joy Cabatingan, Tessa Cang, Wilfredo Calo, Home Canen, Jose Cagang, Alfredo Cabatingan and Francisco Olivario from assuming office in July 2010.

The development caused the Department of Interior and Local Government regional director to act as the town’s caretaker.

Quiño, who is in Manila and has a copy of the Comelec order, said they are waiting for the scheduled recanvass.

He said he has nothing against the transfer.

He said the 14 precinct clusters covered by the protest have about 6,000 votes.

In his petition for the transfer, Wagas said that if held in Cebu, the recount would worsen the “brewing and fragile” situation in Compostela.

Wagas cited the May 2011 incident when Quino’s supporters tried to take over the town hall.