Lizares leads over Saratan in Comelec recount

TALISAY City Mayor Neil Lizares is leading by five votes in the recount conducted by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) First Division in line with the protest filed by defeated mayoralty candidate Shiela Saratan.

City Legal Officer Jonathan Ealdama said on Monday that of the 20 contested ballot boxes, 12 ballot boxes were already recounted and Saratan got 25 votes while Lizares got 30 votes.

Ealdama added that the mayor’s counsel in the recount Gregorio Larrazabal informed them they have already counted 12 ballot boxes.

He added that by Wednesday, total result of the recount may already be known.

“After the 20 ballots boxes are counted, the Comelec can decide whether to continue or dismiss the recount petition,” Ealdama said.

He added that the petitioner needs at least 71 votes per ballot but as of now, they have only 3.25 votes.

“Meaning, it is impossible to proceed anymore with the recount of the other ballots,” Ealdama said.

The Comelec ordered a manual recount of the votes for mayor of Talisay City after it dismissed the petition earlier filed by Lizares.

The Talisay Board of Canvassers proclaimed Lizares as the winner of the May 9 elections after he got 28,440 votes over Saratan’s 21,119 votes.

Saratan filed the petition for a manual recount, claiming massive vote buying and tampered ballots.