CORDOVA Mayor-elect Cesar “Didoy” Suan is confident that the “rule of law” will prevail, and he praised the integrity of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) amid his opponent’s allegations of irregularities during the election.
He said he would answer defeated reelectionist Mayor Mary Therese “Teche” Sitoy-Cho’s allegations this week.
Suan, an incumbent municipal councilor of Cordova, defeated Sitoy-Cho in the May 9 elections, getting 21,222 votes to her 17,052 votes.
With his victory, the businessman-turned-politician Suan denied Sitoy-Cho a third consecutive term as mayor of the eastern Cebu town.
He also toppled the 47-year rule of the Sitoys in Cordova.
Suan said he trusted in the abilities of the Comelec and expressed hope that the outgoing mayor would accept the election results and embrace her new life outside the town’s municipal hall.
“May she find a space in her heart to embrace the election results and be at peace with her new life outside the corridors of the municipal hall,” Suan said on his Facebook page Saturday, May 14.
The incoming mayor said he would call a press conference this Friday to answer all questions regarding his election and his opponent’s allegations and to announce his programs and projects for the town.
Last Monday, Mayor Sitoy-Cho accused Suan’s camp of vote buying and other irregularities which, she said, brought a “failure of election.”
She said her team would file an election protest against the Comelec officials, barangay captains, tanods (watchmen), barangay health workers and teachers reportedly involved in the election irregularities that led to the defeat of the majority of her slate.
This is on top of the disqualification case with motion to suspend the proclamation filed before the Comelec against Team Asenso Cordovanhon for the ground of vote buying on Election Day.
She said over 100 witnesses were willing to submit affidavits in support of their protest.