Comelec confirms Cari proclamation

BAYBAY CITY, Philippines  â€” The Comelec here had confirmed that Mayor Carmen Cari was the duly proclaimed winner for the mayoralty post and no one else.

Comelec officer Susan Collamar, who was chairman of the City Board of Canvassers in the May 13 elections, said the CBOC proclaimed Mayor Cari the winner for obtaining 30,618 votes against her lone opponent, Marilou “Malot” Galenzoga, who got only 15,421 votes.

Collamar showed to the media the certificate of the canvass of votes and proclamation of winning candidates for Baybay mayor and vice mayor, Carmen Cari and son Michael, respectively.

“The election in this city was generally peaceful and no untoward incidents were recorded in the local police station, and that the 109 precincts functioned,” prompting the immediate proclamation in the evening of May 14 at the city’s Legislative Building, said Collamar.

Collamar reacted to reports posted in the Kapihan sa Baybay’s Facebook account showing that Galenzoga had 25,851 votes against Cari who got only 20,638 — figures that she said did not come from the official documents of her office.

“This is a highest form of falsification,” said Collamar, adding that those aggrieved by the results of the May 13 elections in the city should have filed their election protest before the CBOC, but no one showed up in their office or in the Comelec to question the proceedings.

Collamar clarified that the documents showing Galenzoga being proclaimed by the National Board of Canvassers were not genuine because only the CBOC could proclaim the local candidates and not the Comelec central office.

Mayor Cari, for her part, condemned the spread of false information of the elections, saying this was “a desperate move out to taint and destroy the reputation of the Comelec as well as the genuine election results in the city.”

She issued a warning that she would be initiating legal actions against the people behind this move that was intended to destroy her, the Comelec and the real outcome of the elections.

The mayor, together with her sons, Michael and 5th district Rep. Jose Carlos Cari, and the Liberal Party slate who also won, had already held a victory party last May 25 at the City Gym.

The victory party was started with a motorcade from Barangay Caridad, passing through other barangays along the highway going to the city proper and finally ending at the Immaculate Conception Parish Church where a thanksgiving Mass was celebrated.

In her address during the victory party, Mayor Cari called for unity and cooperation among her constituents. “We, the Baybayanons, should help one another to continue the development of our city because the true Baybayanons are peace-loving people. Our aim must only be for the progress and development of our city and our families,” she told the crowd.  â€” Contributed Article