Atienza pushes election protest vs Lim

MANILA, Philippines - The battle between Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim and former Manila mayor Lito Atienza had been set off once again after the First Commission on Elections’ division found enough basis to proceed with the electoral protest filed by the latter.

In an order, First Division Commissioners Rene Sarmiento, Gregorio Larrazabal and Armando Velasco have resolved to deny Lim’s “affirmative defense for lack of merit.

“The protestant has enumerated the protested precincts in his petition and has substantially specified the alleged acts or omissions constituting electoral frauds, anomalies and irregularities that were supposedly committed, and the same are serious enough to necessitate the opening of the ballot boxes to resolve the issues raised in the petition,” the order stated.

Atienza has filed an electoral protest with the Comelec, seeking the nullification of Lim’s proclamation as mayor of Manila. He claimed that the May 10 election has been marked with various irregularities. “Moreover, allowing the election protest to proceed is the best way of removing any doubt or uncertainty involving the true will of the electorate,” the order stated.

The order signals the start of the revision of votes in contested precincts in Manila. But according to Sarmiento, the camp of Lim had manifested its intention to file a motion for reconsideration.

Lim was proclaimed after garnering 395,910 votes against Atienza’s 181,094 votes.

In an interview, Larrazabal said the petition would be the first protest case to be handled by the Comelec with the automated election system (AES).

“This can actually serve as a test case for the resolution of other protest cases pending before the Comelec,” he said.