Drawing of lots breaks tie in Aurora b’gay race

BALER, Aurora, Philippines – After a standoff that lasted for a few days, the winner in a barangay race in this capital town has finally emerged through the drawing of lots.

Alma Broqueza, Commission on Elections officer for Baler, said the barangay board of canvassers (BBOC) proclaimed Robin Licad winner over former vice mayoral candidate Arthur Sanchez in the first-ever case of a tie between two bets for the chairmanship of Barangay 2.

Licad and Sanchez, whose son Peter Don is the outgoing barangay chairman, both obtained 129 votes out of the 265 villagers who cast their vote. The barangay has a voting population of 346.

Broqueza said the BBOC could not immediately decide the winner and it took them three days to do so because Sanchez initially did not want to accede to the drawing of lots. He finally agreed on the prodding of his supporters.

The elder Sanchez ran for vice mayor last May but lost to the eventual winner, Vice Mayor Karen Angara-Ularan.

In the past, a tie between two bets for barangay chairman was decided by a coin toss.

Aside from Licad, also proclaimed winning barangay council members were Madeline Salgo, Bim Lawrence Tuazon, Julie Ann Ritual, Janet Cabagnot, Wilson Bondoc, Merlita Lim, and Manuel Sanchez Jr.