Tuesday, October 30, 2007 Mary Ann, Lim, Gabuya lead in opposition areas By Rene H. Martel & Nancy R. Cudis Sun.Star Staff Reporters
OPPOSITION-ALLIED candidates for barangay captain in Cebu City survived the fight against administration bets in yesterday’s village and youth elections.
Although official canvassing results were not yet in as of midnight, reports showed the political exercise was not without losses on both sides.
In Lahug, incumbent Barangay Captain Mary Ann de los Santos appeared headed for reelection.
As of 10 last night, she garnered 8,934 votes from 94 out of 98 precincts. Her sole rival, Romeo Borden, had 1,611 votes.
This is based on the quick count conducted at Lahug Barangay Hall. There are 19,700 registered voters in Lahug.
“This is another validation that I am something in Lahug. I have the highest number of votes in almost all the precincts. This shows that I am well-loved in Lahug,” de los Santos said.
For Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña whom she is at odds with, de los Santos said, “It is very hard to put down a good person. No amount of City Hall-backed candidates can put me down. I have nothing personal against the mayor. I am just protecting my turf.”
De los Santos’ ally, incumbent Tinago Barangay Captain Joel Garganera, said five of his group made it in the barangay council, with him taking the first councilor’s seat.
But their barangay captain bet, Charles del Mar Pepito, bombed out with a vote deficit of about 200 against administration-backed Domingo Lopez, who already claimed victory even before canvassing started last night.
In an interview with Sun.Star Cebu, Garganera said it was an empty victory for them, but promised that he will not be an obstructionist during Lopez’s term because, after all, they ran because they want to serve their constituents.
In Day-as, incumbent village chief Michael Ocleasa was not optimistic of earning another term after receiving discouraging initial feedback on how constituents voted.
“Lisud-lisod gyud. Tan-awon lang unya nato ni (It’s a bit difficult. Let’s just see what happens),” said his wife Raddie in an interview on their way out of Zapatera Elementary School, where they cast their votes.
Initial results showed Ocleasa at the bottom of seven candidates contesting the post of barangay captain.
Raddie said they might try asking the Commission on Elections (Comelec) if it is possible that votes for Ocleasa as barangay councilor will be considered in his favor.
Ocleasa sought a second term as barangay captain but inadvertently filed candidacy papers for barangay councilor.
He wooed Day-as voters until the end of the campaign period last Saturday as a candidate for barangay councilor.
But the Comelec granted his request for COC correction Sunday afternoon, making him a candidate for barangay captain.
“We informed our people right away, but it was too late,” Ocleasa said in Cebuano.
Raddie said they also tangled with the Board of Election Tellers (BET) in her precinct because Ocleasa was not among the candidates for village chief and the BET members refused to delete his name in the list of candidates for barangay councilor and putting it in the list of barangay captain bets.
North district Election Officer went to Day-as and explained that voters for Ocleasa as barangay councilor are considered stray votes and will not be counted for him.
He said he just had the BETs include in the minutes of the elections a tally of votes for Ocleasa as barangay councilor.
But the total will not be included in the official tally.
In Cogon Pardo, former city councilor Eugenio Gabuya earned some redemption after he was beaten in his reelection bid for city councilor last May.
He said he and his allies won over Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan (BO-PK) man Lyndon Fermo.
Fermo could not be reached for comment last night.
In nearby Poblacion Pardo, diehard opposition Barangay Captain Danilo Lim said he earned another mandate, but with just around 70 votes over closest rival, first councilor Fermin Dasmariñas.
Lim said there were vote-buying and flying voters in his barangay.
In a separate interview, Dasmariñas did not concede to Lim, but he did not also belie the incumbent barangay captain’s victory claim.
As of 10:30 last night, canvassing had yet to begin because a few BETs were not yet done counting the total votes cast.
In Punta Princesa, incumbent Barangay Captain Jose Navarro is not sure of victory for his group, admitting that with two other Navarros running against his son Lito for barangay captain, some votes were considered stray.
It was the same for him, with another Navarro running for barangay councilor.
In Barangay Pasil, initial results had incumbent village chief Romeo Ocarol holding an edge over his two rivals.
But official canvassing results were not yet available as of press time.
In the north district, BOPK allies clashed with each other.
Pit-os Barangay Captain Nilo Tariman earned his third and last term and was proclaimed along with six of his group.
A member of the rival group squeaked through and got the last slot for councilor.
Tariman said that while Talamban’s Alvin Arcilla earned a fresh mandate, incumbent Binaliw Barangay Captain Artemio Ardiza fell short by a mere five votes to first councilor Wilson Bacor.
Pulangbato’s Leonila Llaguno lost by a 16-vote margin to Mary Velasquez, whom she defeated in the 2002 elections.
