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Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Use of poll watchdog's figures pushed
CEBU CITY -- Anyone who blocks the transfer of Bogo town's ballot boxes to the Commission on Elections (Comelec)-Central Visayas or prevents the resumption of canvassing will be arrested, Regional Director Ray Rene Buac warned Monday.
The camp of congressional candidate Benhur Salimbangon said they will not allow the transfer from the Capitol, unless there is a written order or Comelec en banc resolution authorizing it.
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"There is no need for an en banc resolution because Commissioner (Resureccion) Borra already ordered the transfer and he was designated by the Comelec en banc to act on matters concerning the region," Buac told reporters.
The new board of canvassers for Bogo was ready for work Monday afternoon, but the ballot boxes remained at the Capitol, with Salimbangon's supporters camped out on the grounds.
Capitol security consultant Byron Garcia also said he will not allow the ballot boxes to be brought out of the old social hall unless a written order is presented, to keep trouble from erupting.
Meanwhile, lawyer Jojie Decal of the Salimbangon camp went to the headquarters of the church-based election monitor C-Cimpel to ask for a copy of their canvassing results, confirmed executive director Marilu Chiongbian.
Numbers
With 87.2 percent of the fourth district's precincts counted, Salimbangon led the congressional election with 60,719 votes, against 56,993 votes for his closest rival, Bogo Mayor Celestino Martinez III.
The district has 238,104 registered voters, about 40,200 of them in Bogo.
In the official canvass, Salimbangon led by 13,140 votes in all other areas of the fourth district. Only Bogo's returns have yet to be canvassed.
At least 20 of Salimbangon's supporters gathered at the front gate of the headquarters of the Cebu-Citizens' Involvement and Maturation in People's Empowerment and Liberation (C-Cimpel) late Monday afternoon.
They said they would guard that office, because it was their last hope of getting honest results from the May 14 elections.
C-Cimpel's guard told them the office has long been cleared of election returns, after its unofficial count ended at noon last Sunday.
Impasse
In a press conference, Salimbangon said the canvassing should stay in the Capitol, where security cameras can help ensure the proceedings remain safe and transparent.
Decal said all they asked was to compare the canvassers' copy of the election returns with that of the C-Cimpel, to check on some "discrepancies" they noticed.
The board, she pointed out, refused.
Salimbangon announced that Commissioner Borra has agreed that that C-Cimpel's copy of the returns be used in the canvassing of Bogo's votes.
(Sun.Star Cebu tried but failed to get Borra's confirmation, as he was in the canvassing for the Senate elections.)
Salimbangon's camp is convinced the returns intended for the official canvassing have been "highly compromised."
Barricaded
As of Monday night, Buac and Acting Provincial Election Supervisor Lionel Castillano were still waiting for instructions from the new canvassers on when to transfer the ballot boxes.
For security reasons, poll officials refused to divulge the whereabouts of Comelec Acting Assistant Director Veronico Petalcorin, lawyer Eddie Aba and another Comelec lawyer.
The three will compose the special board that will canvass the election returns from Bogo today.
They are already the third set of canvassers for Bogo, whose count was transferred last Wednesday from the northern town, some 101 kilometers north of Cebu City, to the Capitol.
Commissioner Borra, who is in charge of Central Visayas, already approved the transfer of the ballot boxes Monday, stressed Buac.
While waiting for instructions from the canvassers, Buac prepared for the resumption of the canvassing Monday morning, with seven Regional Mobile Group (RMG) policemen detailed in their office in Cebu City.
Hope
The road in front of the WDC building where the Comelec offices are located was closed to vehicular traffic, with steel railings blocking the sidewalk in front of the poll offices.
At 6 p.m., a truck carrying around 50 people in red shirts, believed to be supporters of Salimbangon, was seen roaming the area, prompting the Comelec to ask for additional police personnel.
Task Force Hope (honest, orderly and peaceful elections) Commander Lani-O Nerez immediately proceeded to the area with around 60 RMG policemen and some police cars.
A fire truck was also sent to the area in case of any riot or rally.
Bogo's canvassing has been suspended since Saturday night, when one of Salimbangon's lawyers attempted a citizen's arrest of the previous board of canvassers. She accused them of electoral sabotage.
For his canvassers' protection, Buac called for soldiers from the Central Command to escort the board out of the Capitol. Salimbangon's camp, however, insists the board had been "arrested."
Gallons of water, water dispensers, bread and food were delivered to the Capitol compound for Salimbangon's crowd Monday.
The supporters of Martinez were on the other side of the building.
Capitol consultant Byron Garcia said he allowed Salimbangon's supporters to hold a rally inside the Capitol compound because they were just airing their sentiments.
"Dili man ni sila nga komunista (They are not communists)," said Garcia.
The Capitol has been known to play loud music to drown out rallyists' chants and to block the building with dump trucks and barbed-wire fences.
None of these measures have been applied on supporters of Salimbangon, a candidate of One Cebu-Kampi. (LCR/KNT/MBG/NRC of Sun.Star Cebu)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Baguio. (May 22, 2007 issue)
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