Reluya, Canoy agree on ways to bring protested ballots to court

CEBU, Philippines - The opposing political camps in San Fernando yesterday agreed on the mode of transporting the protested ballots subject of the election protest filed by a losing mayoralty bet before the Regional Trial Court in Cebu City.

The camps of San Fernando Mayor-elect Antonio Canoy and outgoing Mayor Lakambini Reluya agreed to the court’s suggestion that each camp shall have five representatives to bring the ballot boxes together with the personnel of the Commission on Elections from the Municipal Treasurer’s Office to the court where the election protest is pending.

Members of the Special weapons and Tactics will secure the transportation of the ballots which is scheduled on June 9 to 11.

RTC Branch 11 Judge Ramon Daomilas gave the opposing camps two options in transporting the ballots. The other option which both parties rejected was none of them shall be allowed to carry the ballot boxes.  

After the agreement on the mode of transporting the ballots Daomilas called for a chamber conference to discuss the schedules. Lawyer Democrito Barcenas, Canoy’s legal counsel, said that they have agreed that the ballots will be transported on June 9 to 11, 2010.

Barcenas said the authentication of the ballots will be done on June 17 to 21 to determine if the ballots are genuine. A representative from each party, Comelec and a third party appointed by the judge shall do the determination of the authenticity of the ballots.

Reluya earlier filed an election protest asking for a manual recount and tabulation of votes after losing to her vice mayor by over 1,000 votes in the last May 10 elections.

Reluya claimed that there were 49 clustered precincts, six of which, having an alleged irregularity which she sought to be counted manually. She identified precincts 6A, 114A, 145A, 146 and 147.

“I am just exercising my rights and filed a protest to prove that the PCOS machines are accurate and the manual counting will have the same result that of the PCOS machines (sic),” Reluya added..   (FREEMAN NEWS)