Provincial employees union prevails upon holding polls

Despite the order of the incumbent president of the Provincial Employees Association of Cebu to hold the elections of a new set of officers next year, most of the members maneuvered successfully to hold snap elections instead.

The Reform Party, a faction led by Junelyn Arenas, spearheaded a referendum that subsequently rejected the order of incumbent PEACE president Diosdado Cayme and held the elections instead yesterday afternoon.

The faction of Arenas, reportedly with the backing of some provincial government officials, presented a complete slate and ran unopposed.

No winners have been proclaimed yet, however, as the votes are still to be tallied today but the situation showed Arenas may be the new president.

Capitol consultant Pablo John Garcia earlier said the provincial government would not go into a collective negotiation agreement with PEACE next year unless a new set of officers is elected.

The PEACE elections was supposed to be held yesterday but Cayme issued an order last week postponing the elections to January contending that all members should be given the chance to vote.

Cayme, speaking at yesterday's flag ceremony, said most members might be disqualified to vote because the PEACE constitution and by-laws stipulate that only those who have paid their dues will be allowed to vote in an election.

Cayme said that only 100 out of the 1,534 members have paid their annual membership dues and mortuary assistance fund, even after each of them received this year's P10,000 CNA bonus.