CEBU City Mayor Tomas Osmeña challenged former mayor Michael Rama to include Team Rama precincts where he lost in the May 9 polls in the 20-percent clustered precincts the latter’s camp has identified.
This came after the Commission on Elections (Comelec) Second Division, in an order dated Nov. 11 (but released Dec. 2), found sufficient substance in Rama's election protest, which may necessitate a recounting and revision of ballots.
“How did I cheat him in his own precinct? I must be that good in the city. Your own precinct and you can’t even win? I challenge Mr. Rama to include the precincts where he lost,” Osmeña said in his news conference yesterday.
“But I’ll make a bet. In his precinct, he will still lose. Tell him that. Just include it in the list (of 20 percent clustered precincts),” he added.
It is the standard procedure of the poll body to review first 20 percent out of the 837 clustered precincts in the city.
The election protest proceedings will only continue if Rama will be able to recover at least 20 percent of Osmeña’s overall vote lead.
Stats
In an earlier interview, Councilor Jocelyn Pesquera, one of the lawyers handling Rama’s case, said they’re protesting results in the 167 they’ve identified, or 20 percent of the 837 clustered precincts.
“The thing that’s funny is that Pesquera said they will include Basak San Nicolas. Are you that desperate? They won 80 percent of the votes there, and still, I cheated them? That means even my 20 percent there was cheating,” Osmeña said.
The mayor alleged that Rama lost an average of two votes against him, even in Team Rama precincts, including Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella’s in Barangay Mabolo.
Osmeña also pointed to Barangay Camputhaw, the bastion of Team Rama north district representative candidate, former mayor Alvin Garcia.
While he may have won in every precinct in Camputhaw, Osmeña said he lost to Rama in Barangay Duljo-Fatima, where Team Rama south district representative former councilor Gerardo Carillo resides.
He said Comelec can “go ahead and count” the ballots, as he sees it only fair for both parties, provided that the opposing camp include their own precincts that they’ve lost in.
“That’s normal. I don’t mind if they do the recounting. My lawyers questioned that some of the procedures he used in filing the protest were defective. Comelec said they’re going to push through with their recount anyway,” Osmeña said.
Advantage
While Rama considers the development as an “early Christmas gift” for Team Rama, Osmeña does not think that the Comelec Second Division order is in Rama’s advantage as the recount will also include votes given to him.
He recalled that Comelec had conducted an immediate inspection in a few precincts right after the elections ended.
“I don’t agree to that (Team Rama’s advantage). Comelec sent some ballot boxes to manila to do a spot check and there was no failure detected,” he said.
After the May 9 elections, Rama was defeated by Osmeña by a margin of 34,036 votes. Osmeña earned a total of 267,222 votes compared to Mike’s 233,186 votes.