“I JUST laughed and thought of it as entertaining,” was how Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner Nicodemo Ferrer reacted on reports that Mark Lapid is the winner of the gubernatorial race in Pampanga.
Lapid ran against incumbent Governor Ed Panlilio and Lilia Pineda in 2007.
Panlilio and Pineda faced off in an election protest filed by the latter while Lapid was already out of the story.
Reports surfaced that Lapid might be the real governor after the poll body decided on the Pineda vs Panlilio case.
Recently, the Comelec second division presided by Ferrer proclaimed Pineda as the rightful governor of the province with a winning margin of 2,011 votes.
“I took it lightly because it came from a politician who's up to nagpapansin. Kung walang papansin sayo, anong politician ka?" said Ferrer referring to Lapid.
He added that Lapid's camp might have computed the election results using grade one arithmetic method.
“Using the grade one arithmetic method, you add the votes of Panlilio with the votes of Pineda, the total you subtract to the number of those who voted. The balance siguro yun yung sinasabi niya na pagaari niya,” he said.
But the commissioner reiterated that the commission does not deal with election protests that way.
Ferrrer said Comelec appreciates each and every ballot that is part of the election protest and decides based on the appreciation.
“It was a matter of appreciation. The appreciation meaning babasahin mo yung handwriting ng voter o yung kung marked ballot o kaya yung the name of candidate he voted for is placed in another position.”
According to Ferrer, Lapid is only trying to grab the attention of people and media especially that it is already election period.
“You know nowadays, during election period, gusto nila nagpapapansin sila. Kahit hindi kandidato but perhaps they can run for office in the succeeding elections. Ayaw nila nawawala sa attention ng mga tao,” said Ferrer.
Lapid will not be vying for a political post this year. It will be a Pineda vs Panlilio battle again in the coming May elections for the gubernatorial post in Pampanga.
The commissioner meanwhile said it will be too late for Lapid if he intends to file a protest before the Comelec.
He added that Lapid might not have filed the protest before because he already knew that he lost anyway.
“He did not think of it anymore because he knows he lost. Will you spend money for nothing?" said Ferrer.
The camp of Panlilio will be filing a supplemental motion for reconsideration next week to the Comelec en banc to appeal their case. (Kathrina Alvarez/Sunnex)