Tom agrees to recount to prove Alvin wrong

Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña has accepted the challenge of former mayor Alvin Garcia to have ballot boxes opened and votes recounted to prove that the allegation on massive cheating claimed by the latter done against him in the last polls has no basis.

But he said the procedure should be carried out through the group of the late movie actor and opposition presidential bet Fernando Poe Jr.

In an interview aired over ABS-CBN yesterday afternoon, Garcia wanted the ballot boxes to be opened to prove his allegations that there was indeed massive cheating in last year's elections.



Osmeña said that since 2001 when Garcia first ran against him and in 2004 during their rematch, Garcia still claims to have been cheated and even accused the teachers serving during the 2001 elections of connivance, but failed to identify the teachers who allegedly cheated and in which polling precincts.

Unlike in 2001 when Osmeña beat the then incumbent Garcia by a measly 3,030 votes, the results of the May 10, 2004 elections showed Osmeña trouncing Garcia 180,215 to 140,629.

Garcia also said Arroyo should be ousted from office so Vice President Noli de Castro can take over the presidency.

"That's the real thing why there's no support for the impeachment of the president because nobody likes the second choice either. In Manila, maybe. But here in Cebu, I don't think so," Osmeña said. - Cristina C. Birondo