Paracelis winners proclaimed; 2 SB deferred pending protest

By Gina Dizon

PARACELIS, Mountain Province -- Winning candidates for the mayorship and vice mayorship and six winning candidates for legislative positions of the Sanggguniang Bayan were proclaimed here last May 19.

Proclaimed winning candidates by Commission on Elections officer Virginia Chokowen were Mayor Avelino Amangyen, Vice mayor Enriqueta Rafael; and Sangguniang Bayan members Ruben Manat, Junie Carpio, Bello Banggot, Marjorie Oridena, Roy Tangbawan, and Ramon Bocatan

Winning SB candidates Cesar Corcha with 2430 votes and Miguel Assud with 2426 votes respectively landing in numbers 7 and 8 in the list were deferred proclamation pending protest from SB candidates Juan Batoy with 2389 votes and Marlyn Wanason with 2372 votes.

Batoy and Wanason claimed the PCOS machine in Apalis was burned thus disenfranchising the voters and affecting the result.

Batoy and Wanason especially called for special elections in Apalis precint which has 148 voters.

Comelec rules state that a special election is valid if votes will affect the votes of the contesting party.

Assud however claimed that the PCOS machine in Apalis was able to print election returns before the machine was burned, which shall not warrant any reason for a special election.