Atienza wants electoral protest deposit back

MANILA, Philippines - Defeated Manila mayoral candidate Lito Atienza has filed a motion to withdraw what remains of a P10-million deposit he posted in connection with an electoral protest he lodged before the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

In a statement, the Manila City government said the P10 million is supposed to cover the expenses for the recount Atienza sought after losing to Mayor Alfredo Lim in last year’s polls.

In the motion filed by his lawyers, Atienza said he wants “the unused amount from the cash deposit be immediately released and that protestant be furnished with all disbursements therefrom.”

Lim’s lawyers said that as far as the mayor is concerned, he wants the whole recount, which started Tuesday, finished as soon as possible.

During the 2010 elections, Lim defeated Atienza by 214,000 votes. Atienza garnered 181,094 votes, compared to Lim’s 395,910 votes.

Prior to the recount, the Comelec junked a petition for disqualification filed by Atienza against Lim for lack of merit.