Biñan count halted

BIÑAN, Laguna — The canvassing of election returns here has been stopped since Tuesday morning because of the disappearance of the chairman of the municipal board of canvassers.

There were speculations that the disappearance of BOC chairman Telesporo Descallar after the canvassing of 26 election returns last Tuesday, was a deliberate move to reverse the outcome of the municipal election results to favor mayoralty candidate Ruben Francisco "Cookie" Yatco, son-in-law of Comelec chairman Benjamin Abalos.

Yatco, husband of Abalos’ daughter Joy, was trailing behind re-electionist Mayor Hermes Perez when Descallar announced that he had to go to a hospital because of chest pain.

BOC secretary Romana Espinosa said Descallar has been in an undisclosed hospital since 2 p.m. Tuesday. — Rene Alviar