Prov'l canvassers ordered to proclaim Cagayan gov

BY ARMAND TAMARAY

TUGUEGARAO CITY – The Commission on Elections directed the provincial board canvassers of Cagayan to reconvene and proclaim the winner in the gubernatorial race.

In a resolution, the Comelec’s second division also ordered the reconstitution of the certificate of canvass (COC) from Lallo town, which is the subject of the electoral protest by former Alcala mayor and gubernatorial candidate Alvaro Antonio against re-electionist Gov. Edgar Lara.

The PBOC, chaired by lawyer Michael Valdez, is scheduled to reconvene on July 9 in compliance with the Comelec resolution issued on June 29.

Lara’s camp, however, immediately questioned the order in a motion for reconsideration filed with the Comelec en banc, arguing the decision on the Lallo COC should also be applied to all contested COCs.

Laro also has been pending electoral protest on votes from Tuao town, alleging vote shaving and padding in favor of Antonio.

“We believe this is a case of the Comelec reversing itself, and one selective justice,” Lara said. “Just a week ago, in the Padaca case (referring to the contest between Isabela Gov. Grace Padaca and former governor Benjamin Dy), the Comelec upheld that only the COCs should be read in the provincial canvass. Now, they are ordering the votes from Lallo to be read based on the election returns.”

Lara said the resolution of his motion for reconsideration with the Comelec en banc should take precedence and the PBOC should not reconvene until it is resolved.

In the official Comelec count, which also reflects the tally of the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting, Lara, who is seeking his third and final term as governor, is leading Antonio with 175,336 votes against the latter’s 174,731 – or a margin of only 605 votes.

However, should the Lallo COC be reconstituted as per the Comelec order, Antonio would overtake Lara by 1,243 votes.

Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile and third district Rep. Manuel Mamba have thrown their support behind Antonio’s gubernatorial bid.