Thursday, May 17, 2007
No hitches at Capitol
THE first two days of canvassing of votes at the Capitol Social Hall proceeded without hitches, as legal counsels from both local and national parties did not raise any objections, so far.
As of 6:30 last night, votes from eight towns were canvassed amid what seemed to be the snail-paced arrival of ballot boxes containing the statement of votes from different towns.
Pinoy Votes: Sun.Star Election 2007
Pilar, although one of the farthest areas from the province’s seat of government, was the second to turn over its election results yesterday, following Aloguinsan. Pilar’s candidate for mayor, Jesus Fernandez Jr., ran unopposed.
Unlike in the 2004 elections when results from the towns in the second district were questioned by opponents of Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, votes from four towns of that district were recorded yesterday without any objections.
They were from Samboan, Alcantara, Malabuyoc and Ronda.
In those places, Garcia clobbered her opponent, Rep. Antonio Yapha. She got 6,839 in Samboan, against Yapha’s 1,854; 5,275 in Malabuyoc, against Yapha’s 1,290 votes; 5,505 in Ronda, against Yapha’s 2,012; and 5,707 in Alcantara against Yapha’s 444 votes.
From Yapha’s district, meanwhile, only the results from Aloguinsan have come in, so far.
But from that town, the Provincial Board of Canvassers recorded 7,160 votes cast for Garcia and 3,313 votes for Yapha.
In the previous elections, the fierce rivalry between Garcia and her opponent then, former congressman Celestino “Junie” Martinez Jr., led to the questioning by each candidate of results from the other’s turf.
Acting Provincial Election Supervisor Lionel Castillano, chairman of this election’s Provincial Board of Canvassers, reads out the rules for legal counsels every time they convene: only one counsel can speak for a candidate, and must be brief and concise.
The board “will not countenance any dilatory tactics.”
But so far, the Capitol has yet to see fireworks from legal counsels of both gubernatorial candidates. (JPM)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (May 17, 2007 issue)
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