AFTER the Nov. 9, 2023 deadline for submitting petitions to review vote tally errors in the 2023 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE), at least seven candidates in Central Visayas have raised concerns about alleged errors in the vote canvassing.
Ivan Jason delos Santos, administrative officer of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) 7, told SunStar Cebu on Monday, Nov. 13, that seven petitions to correct manifest errors have been filed in the region.
Of these petitions, three came from Cebu (City of Naga, Pilar town in Camotes, and Dalaguete town), one each from Santa Catalina and Mabinay in Negros Oriental, and one each from Lazi in Siquijor and Tagbilaran City in Bohol.
Delos Santos did not provide further details on these petitions, pending a thorough report from provincial election officers.
The Comelec central office in Manila handles these requests to seek corrections for errors observed on the statement of votes document appreciated by poll workers during the election.
They have not yet received any feedback from the Comelec central office regarding the status of their requests or whether they have been granted.
Delos Santos said Comelec will directly announce decisions, ensuring prompt implementation of changes and the seating of the rightful winner.
He clarified that these seven petitions do not include election protests filed by candidates before the court. The petition is distinct from filing an election protest, where each vote from each ballot box would be recounted. In this case, only the certificate of canvass of votes and proclamation (COCP) would be recomputed.
While he can’t provide a specific timeline for resolutions from these petitions, he said they would normally come out faster than resolutions for election protests.
Delos Santos added that the Comelec central office has not notified them about any petition to pursue an investigation related to election results in Barangay Cogon Ramos, Cebu City.
Earlier, May Tugot Sadaya, an incumbent councilor who finished eighth in the recent barangay elections, asserted that the seventh-place candidate did not garner sufficient votes to secure a council seat.
Sadaya, with a total of 998 votes, claimed that the seventh-place candidate, Cherry Ann Ginobisa Cillar, only received 973 votes. However, the COCP reported Cillar’s total votes as 1,003, or a difference of 30 votes.
Discrepancies emerged in the statement of votes by precinct presented to the media last week.
Although the total votes for Cillar remained at 1,003, the breakdown from nine precincts in Cogon Pardo said otherwise.
Meanwhile, SunStar Cebu attempted to reach Sadaya on Monday to confirm whether she had filed a petition, but calls to her went unanswered.