BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL
KALIBO, Aklan – Mayor Raymar Rebaldo called on his people to remain calm but vigilant as the Regional Trial Court here is set to issue its ruling on the electoral protest filed against the mayor on Friday, September 29.
Rebaldo also appealed to the camp of former Vice Mayor William Lachica who filed the protest to rein its supporters.
Maintaining that the May 10, 2004 had been fair and clean, Rebaldo expressed confidence that he would be confirmed by Judge Eustaquio Terencio of RTC Branch 8 as the duly elected mayor of Kalibo.
The mayor’s private secretary, Randy Rebaldo, said the situation remains peaceful so far. But he fears of violence if the police lose grip of the situation during the promulgation.
“The court has finished its job and I believe, by its own count, Mayor Rebaldo is the clear winner over his closest rival Lachica. The decision would also vindicate the election inspectors and canvassers of any irregularity,” the secretary added.
Randy Rebaldo said members of the Board of Election Inspectors and the Board of Canvassers could be held liable for election offenses if the election protest favors Lachica on the grounds of commission of errors and irregularities, bad appreciation of ballots and improper adjudication of votes.
On April 5, 2006, the revision committee headed by lawyer Rhea Vidal-Ibarreta showed Lachica garnered 4,326 against Rebaldo’s 3,774 in the contested 70 pooling precincts clustered into 50 precincts in the barangays of Poblacion, Andagao, Bakhaw Sur, New Buswang, Old Buswang, Caano, Estancia, Mabilo, Caano, Mobo, Nalook, Pook and Tigayon.
Rebaldo said the uncontested 164 pooling precincts had the incumbent mayor with 10,324 votes compared to 9,688 votes of Lachica, or a total winning margin of 84 votes after the physical count.
Lachica claimed he had been cheated of victory, citing alleged massive vote buying and tampering of election returns, bad appreciation ballots, fraud committed in the preparation of the ballots and improper adjudication of votes, among others.
At the time Rebaldo was proclaimed, the Comelec tally of returns showed he had 14,101 votes and Lachica had 14,020 or a slim margin of 81 votes.
Rebaldo also appealed to the camp of former Vice Mayor William Lachica who filed the protest to rein its supporters.
Maintaining that the May 10, 2004 had been fair and clean, Rebaldo expressed confidence that he would be confirmed by Judge Eustaquio Terencio of RTC Branch 8 as the duly elected mayor of Kalibo.
The mayor’s private secretary, Randy Rebaldo, said the situation remains peaceful so far. But he fears of violence if the police lose grip of the situation during the promulgation.
“The court has finished its job and I believe, by its own count, Mayor Rebaldo is the clear winner over his closest rival Lachica. The decision would also vindicate the election inspectors and canvassers of any irregularity,” the secretary added.
Randy Rebaldo said members of the Board of Election Inspectors and the Board of Canvassers could be held liable for election offenses if the election protest favors Lachica on the grounds of commission of errors and irregularities, bad appreciation of ballots and improper adjudication of votes.
On April 5, 2006, the revision committee headed by lawyer Rhea Vidal-Ibarreta showed Lachica garnered 4,326 against Rebaldo’s 3,774 in the contested 70 pooling precincts clustered into 50 precincts in the barangays of Poblacion, Andagao, Bakhaw Sur, New Buswang, Old Buswang, Caano, Estancia, Mabilo, Caano, Mobo, Nalook, Pook and Tigayon.
Rebaldo said the uncontested 164 pooling precincts had the incumbent mayor with 10,324 votes compared to 9,688 votes of Lachica, or a total winning margin of 84 votes after the physical count.
Lachica claimed he had been cheated of victory, citing alleged massive vote buying and tampering of election returns, bad appreciation ballots, fraud committed in the preparation of the ballots and improper adjudication of votes, among others.
At the time Rebaldo was proclaimed, the Comelec tally of returns showed he had 14,101 votes and Lachica had 14,020 or a slim margin of 81 votes.
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