PROCLAMATION. Atty. Adam Relson
Jala (l) proclaimed as congressman in the third district
by Comelec Supervisor Veronico Petalcorin (r) days after
the May 14 elections. Foto DANNY REYES |
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Third
district Rep. Adam Jala and Provincial Election Supervisor
Veronico Petalcorin denied allegations of "dagdag-bawas"
carried out against former governor Rene Relampagos
who ran for congressman in the 3rd district during the
May elections.
Rep.
Jala, in an interview with the Chronicle yesterday said
there is no evidence that his camp coerced the Comelec
to cheat in the May elections.
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The
newcomer solon asked why Relampagos only raised these issues
now and did not file an official protest at the House of Representatives
Electoral Tribunal (HRET).
Answering
allegations that his camp was responsible for "dagdag-bawas"
operations in the towns of Sierra Bullones and Loay, Rep.
Jala pointed out that he would only recognize the official
results of the polls that declared him winner and the fact
that no official protest was filed by Relampagos, is proof
that the latter do not have strong evidence to prove his allegations.
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In
Loay, Rep. Jala bared that he did not even have enough
watchers since the town is the bailiwick of Relampagos.
"How
could we manipulate the results there?" he asked.
In
Sierra Bullones, the solon said, "if they question
the closeness of my father to Mayor Simplicio Maestrado,
it goes back to the time when my father served as board
member and Relampagos was then governor."
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"My
father shared the same goals with Mayor Maestrado, that is
to develop the town of Sierra Bullones," he stressed,
"but it could not mean that we would cheat in the elections
there."
The
3rd district solon said he is "calling on the camp of
Relampagos to join [him] in serving the 3rd district, there
is enough divisiveness caused in the last elections, [I am]
calling for reconciliation and unity."
"SHOW
EVIDENCE"
For
his part, Petalcorin claimed the allegation of Relampagos
that 51% of the board of election inspectors in the 3rd district
was done to prevent famililiarity between the election officer
and politicians.
Election
officers could not choose where to be assigned, he said.
Others
election officers were also the subject of complaints that
made their credibilitydoubtful,
according to the election supervisor.
Relampagos'
camped named a certain Julita Lao who was transferred to Sierra
Bullones from Corella shortly before the May polls.
According
to Petalcorin Lao was transferred after it was known that
she is a relative of a politician in Corella. He denied that
there was a request from Sierra Bullones Mayor Maestrado.
Petalcorin
added that there is "no need to report the movements
of election officers to politicians, it is within the Comelec's
authority who will serve in the election in a particular town."
School
principals will provide the names of who will serve from teachers
in a town and who will serve as second and third members since
they are the ones familiar with the area, Petalcorin pointed
out.
If
they have strong evidence on their allegations of "dagdag-bawas",
they must have presented it in the proper forum, he said.
He
said Loay and Sierra Bullones were generally peaceful during
the polls and he did not receive any reports of fraud.
The
Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) can
provide copies of Election Returns or Certificates of Votes
to trace and check the number of votes questioned by Relampagos,
Petalcorin said.
The
election supervisor added that once the election is finished,
the function of the provincial board of canvassers is just
"ministerial regarding the results."
"Protests
can be made to the HRET that holds jurisdiction on the matter,"
Petalcorin concluded.
RELAMPAGOS:
USELESS IN COURT
Relampagos
categorically told the Chronicle that he is not contemplating
to file formal complaints with HRET as he is fully aware that
the body is controlled by colleagues of the congressmen.
He
likewise said that recounting of votes will be a tall order
which no one expects to be finished before the next election.
The revelation of cheating in the last election in the 3rd
district was made to make the public fully aware that there
was indeed tampering of election results with evidences published
in last Sunday's issue of the Chronicle, Relampagos concluded.
For
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