Comelec proclaims Gwen and Greg

Cebu Governor Gwendolyn F. Garcia and her runningmate Vice Governor Gregorio Sanchez have been proclaimed by the Commission on Elections as winners of the May 14 elections.

This came despite the fact that the canvassing of election returns for the town of Bogo has been suspended.

The reelectionist officials were proclaimed following the canvassing of the returns from Mandaue City, which also led to the proclamation of reelectionist Rep. Nerissa Soon-Ruiz.

Also proclaimed was Wenceslao Gakit as board members of the 6th District.  The other seat was taken by reelectionist Victor Maambong, but he was not around for the proclamation.

Lawyer Cristina Garcia, daughter of Gwen, moved for the proclamation of governor and vice-governor stating that uncanvassed votes from Bogo could not adversely affect anymore to the result of the gubernatorial and and vice-gubernatorial race.

Hearing no objection from the opposite camp, board chairman and provincial election supervisor Lionel Marco Castillano ruled that the proclamation be done after the filling up of pertinent documents.

Section 247 on partial proclamation under the Omnibus Election Code states that, “Notwithstanding the pendency of any pre-proclamation controversy, the Commission may, motu proprio or upon the filing of a verified petition and after due notice and hearing, order the proclamation of other winning candidates whose election will not be affected by the outcome of the controversy.”

Castillano also cited the same provision stated under section 40 of Comelec Resolution No. 7859.

Even without the results from Bogo with more than 40,000 registered voters, Garcia already garnered a total of 748,185 votes against Rep. Antonio Yapha’s 287,133.

Sanchez has a total of 628,436 votes against Rep. Clavel Asas-Martinez with 296,518.

Castillano with vice-chairman Manolo Rubi and member-secretary Recaredo Borgonia raised the hands of Garcia and Sanchez at around 6:30 p.m. to declare them winners of the provincial race.

Ruiz and Gakit are allies of Garcia and Sanchez in the One Cebu Party.

Lawyer Edgar Gica, counsel of congressional bet Gabriel Luis Quisumbing, filed a petition before the board of canvassers early yesterday afternoon to suspend the proclamation of Ruiz.

Gica explained that Lapu-Lapu City mayoralty candidate Norma Patalingjug has pending petition to declare a failure of election in the city before the Comelec en banc and whatever outcome of the petition would greatly affect the result in the congressional race in the sixth district.

Patalingjug has contested the results in 157 precincts.

Ruiz’s lawyer Franklin Camasura has opposed the petition of Gica saying that the board has no jurisdiction to respond to the motion.

Castillano told the press that the petition should have been filed during the canvassing at the city level.

Gica, however, posed no objection to proceed with the canvassing except that he petitioned for the suspension of the proclamation.

Castillano has ordered the canvassing of COCs from Mandaue City and informed both parties that the board will rule after the canvassing.

Castillano also cautioned the hundreds of supporters of Ruiz inside the canvassing area to be calm and to hold their emotions as he read the ruling.

But the crowd was not able to abide it and applauded when Castillano denied the petition of Gica, who showed no objection to the ruling except that he asked the board to put his petition on record.

Meanwhile, unlike in the past days until early morning yesterday wherein the Capitol seemed to be a battleground, the situation yesterday was noticeably calm although strict security measures were still imposed to those who wanted get inside the canvassing area.

The ballot boxes containing the election returns from Bogo were still inside the old session hall guarded by at least two watchers from the camps of congressional aspirants Benhur Salimbangon and Celestino Martinez III, representatives from the Cebu-Citizens’ Involvement for Maturation of People’s Empowerment and Liberation (C-Cimpel) and from the Philippine National Police.

The canvassing was suspended late Saturday evening following the citizen’s arrest of the members of the special board of canvassers composed of Gallardo Escobar Jr., Mohammad Abdulrashid and Genevova Sevilla for alleged “electoral sabotage” in the canvassing of votes as shown in the video footage of the Capitol security camera.

Castillano said that the case is now under the jurisdiction of Comelec-7 regional director Ray Rene Buac, who was a no show at the Capitol yesterday.

Castillano said that they are still waiting for an order from Commissioner Resurreccion Borra, in-charge for the Visayas regions, as the three who were arrested already have inhibited themselves from the canvass of votes from Bogo.

Castillano has suggested that if a new board would be created, the members should come from outside Cebu.

Lawyer Cristina Garcia who is with the legal panel of One Cebu-Kampi, where Salimbangon belongs, said that they got information that the three who were arrested were allowed to go home yesterday.

Garcia said that if it is true, they might as well include those responsible in allowing them to go home to be included in the case for connivance.

The canvassing of votes from Bogo was moved to the Capitol due to intense rivalry of Salimbangon and Martinez, who are contesting the congressional seat in the volatile fourth district.

Elections returns from eight out of nine municipalities in the fourth district have already been canvassed except for Bogo.  Early results show that Salimbangon has a total of 60,377 votes against 47,237 of Martinez. (/NLQ)