San Lorenzo ballot recount reset Dec. 6

MANILA, Philippines – The recount of the contested ballots in San Lorenzo Village barangay election scheduled Monday has been reset to Dec. 6.

Metropolitan Trial Court Branch 63 Judge Roberto Buenaventura reset the recount to consolidate the election protests filed by kagawad candidates Christian Michael Dizon and Imelda Mangalino against the elected kagawads Marlene Clarissa Po, Jocelyn Hernandez, Guia Magdalena Flaminiano and Carlos Sario, who were proclaimed together with barangay chairman Ernesto Moya.     

The other barangay chairman candidate, Joshua John Santiago, has filed an election protest before the court asking for the nullification of Moya’s proclamation citing the alleged massive cheating and irregularities through “misreading, miscounting, mistallying and misappreciation” of ballots.

Santiago’s wife Amery also filed an election protest before the Commission on Elections citing Moya’s failure to sign his certificate of candidacy and “therefore he is presumed to have never filed his COC nor appeared before a notary public,” a requirement of the Comelec for every candidate to make his candidacy valid and legal.

In their protests, Santiago, Dizon and Mangalino cited erroneous tallying which benefited Moya and his kagawad slate. They also mentioned several marked ballots which should be considered void but were instead counted for Moya and his slate.

As this developed, San Lorenzo Village homeowner Tini Pertierra has sought police protection for the death threats she has been receiving after giving support to several maids who volunteered to testify on the alleged irregularities in the Oct. 25 elections.

Most of Santiago’s witnesses are house helpers who were threatened with harm and the loss of their jobs allegedly by their employers supposedly allied with Moya.