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Former
Gov. Rene Relampagos made public his allegations of blatant
fraud committed during the canvassing of votes in the third
congressional derby which comprises the biggest voting district
in the province.
Relampagos,
LDP, who run for congressman revealed that he "won the
elections, but he just want to know where and how he was cheated."
The
categorical statement of the former governor came after he
alleged of highly irregular conduct in the municipal board
of canvassers in the towns of Loay, Sierra-Bullones, Pilar
and Alicia.
He
cited the case of Loay, his hometown, wherein the certificate
of votes showed him leading over proclaimed winner, Rep-elect
Adam Jala by 2,300 votes. However, when the final tally was
done, his lead was reduced to a little over 800 votes.
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Relampagos
likewise alleged that his supporters in Sierra-Bullones
town were intimidated narrating voters' testimonies
that they were blocked on the way to the precincts in
order for them to forcibly pass by the residence of
vice mayoralty bet Fredo Gamalo. He said that these
intimidations could confirm an earlier survey result
which showed that 90% of the people in S-Bullones refuse
to answer questions when asked by the Holy Name University
Bohol Poll on their voting preference. The HNU survey
conducted third week of April is an indication that
people there are afraid to "voice out their preference
on whom to vote on election day."
Relampagos,
during a radio interview said a certain Kag Ending Coja
in Pilar reported that Rep. Eladio Jala, father of newly
elected solon was seen at the area where the canvassing
of votes was conducted. In fact, the solon went inside
the SB session hall together with Ms. Sopsop of the
municipal board of canvassers. The same report was true
in Carmen town, he alleged
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The
former governor also reported that four precincts in S-Bullones
town had their certificate of canvass of votes not released
despite several requests made by his watchers. The S-Bullones
board of canvassers delayed the release of the four precincts
which was also confirmed by NAMFREL in the city. His watchers
were surprised since the COC was given to a represenative
of a senatorial candidate who visited the area earlier in
the day,. But, when the watcher of Relampagos asked for a
copy of the COC, he was flatly denied.The COC was released
late afternoon of Thursday.
Lawyer
Lord Marapao IV told the Chronicle that they filed electoral
protests with the provincial board of canvassers. However,
Comelec Supervisor Veronico Petalcorin did not find time to
look into the protest papers saying that it should have been
filed with the municipal board of canvassers.
The
Relampagos counsel asked the Comelec official to just manifest
in writing that the protests were submitted and duly noted
by him. Petalcorin declined to put into writing and instead
asked the counsel to just look at the minutes of the proceedings
which were not available until yesterday.
Marapao
also reported that in Pilar only 13 election returns were
made available, out of the 66 precints in the area.
He
said there was a pre-proclamation controversy which erupted
last Thursday but Petalcorin did not suspend the proceedings
of the canvass.
For
his part, Rep-elect Jala bared during a radio interview that
they did not violate any election rule while assuming that
he will be abiding with what the Comelec prescribes. If the
election protests were being "noted" by the Comelec
supervisor then Petalcorin has the legal reasons why it has
to be conducted that way, Jala stressed.
During
the early input of election returns tabulated by NAMFREL,
Relampagos made an uptrend lead.He was also a consistent survey
leader in two surveys conducted by the Hol;y Name University
Research Center
In
the final tally, Jala garnered 65,081 votes while Relampagos
pooled 62,106 votes.
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