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Thursday, May 20, 2004
Paglas proclaimed, opponent cries foul
By Jeff M. Tupaz
KIDAPAWAN CITY -- Incumbent Mayor Edwin Bermudez of Columbio town in Sultan Kudarat Wednesday claimed he was "tricked" by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) after it proclaimed his closest rival Mohammad Paglas as the winner in the mayoralty race.
The proclamation of Paglas was confirmed by Sultan Kudarat Provincial elections supervisor Lintang Bedol. He said no less than Columbio Municipal Board of Canvasser chairman Lumina Pangadun officiated the event.
Paglas' proclamation came while Bermudez supporters were "guarding" the two ballot boxes inside Columbio town hall. The contested ballot boxes were supposed to be transferred for counting to the provincial capitol in Isulan last
Saturday.
"I cannot imagine how the Comelec worked that out and declare him as winner. What is their basis. Where did they get their results?" Bermudez said, adding that it would be impossible for the poll body to declare Paglas because all the election returns, including the contested two ballot boxes, remained at the municipal hall of Columbio.
Paglas was proclaimed May 16 at Bedol's office. Pangadun could not be reached for comment.
Caught unaware, Bermudez said he was really surprised over how the "Comelec
railroaded the process."
Before the Comelec canvassing was stopped, Bermudez said he was leading in the race with 4, 058 votes while Paglas was lagging behind him with 3,100 votes.
Bedol said Pangadun was compelled to exclude and disregard the two contested ballots, which contained 21 election returns, after they failed to transport them for counting at the capitol of Sultan Kudarat.
"The same (2 ballot boxes) already lost its integrity after the same left the hands of the municipal board of canvasser and found its way to the hand of the interested party," Bedol said quoting a document from Pangadun.
"The election returns were no longer included in the final tally. Pangadun said the election returns had already been at the hand of Bermudez camp. As a consequence, it was excluded from the canvass," Bedol said.
The supposed transfer of the two ballot boxes resulted to the death of four of Paglas supporters and the wounding of five more others.
For his part, Paglas said Bermudez should follow and respect what has been decided upon by the Comelec.
"The Comelec has decided. That should be followed. They should stop questioning my proclamation. Or if they want, they better file protest at the Comelec in Manila," Paglas said.
(May 20, 2004 issue)
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