Plebiscite: Bacolod loses bid creating new barangay

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — This city had just lost its bid to create its 62nd barangay, after a plebiscite held over the weekend resulted in the "no" votes defeating the "yes" votes.

Residents of Barangay Mansilingan took part in a prebiscite Saturday for the conversion of Paglaum Village into a separate Barangay Paglaum, based on an ordinance authored by Councilor Caesar Distrito.

Based on the final canvassing conducted by the Comelec the "no" votes won with 2,987, or 405 votes more against 2,582 for "yes" votes.

However, out of the 17,581 registered voters in Masilingan only 5,569 or 35 percent have voted. The low turnout of voters, which made possible the "no" victory had been attributed to bad weather at the time as well as alleged vote buying.

Gemeno Ymballa, legal counsel of the "yes" convenors, manifested before the board of canvassers that they will file a protest covering the 10 precincts in Paglaum Village and its neighboring haciendas due to the inclement weather and massive vote-buying that influenced the outcome of the votes.

He said the people did not vote because their residences were far from the barangay proper were the precincts were located. These two factors prevented them from casting their votes. Of the 3,570 registered voters in Paglaum Village only 1,900 cast their votes, meaning that over 1,600 failed to vote.

Considering that about 80 percent failed to cast their votes, Ymballa said they will file a partial protest within 10 days, and demand for the conduct of another plebiscite to reflect the real and true will of the people in that area.

"We do not contest the entire precincts in Mansilingan, he said but added that they have recovered a sample ballot for the "no" vote with a P20 bill attached to it, which they have kept as evidence for vote-buying.

The board of canvassers was composed of  Bacolod Election Officer Mavil Majarucon-Sia, Fiscal Armando Abanado and Bacolod Schools Division Superintendent Gemma Ledesma. It was witnessed by Provincial Election Supervisor Jessie Suarez.

Mayor Monico Puentevella, for his part, said he will respect whatever is the decision of the people of Mansilingan.

Distrito said as the people had spoken in this historic democratic exercise, "we have to respect the result of the plebiscite. All sides had worked hard, and as they say, only one had prevailed, and the NO have it. I will study the arguments of those opposing it and will try to come up with a win-win proposal." (FREEMAN)