BO-PK to protest results

DESPITE the proclamation of Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama and his running mate, Vice Mayor-elect Edgardo Labella, their rivals at the Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan are not calling it quits.
Outgoing Vice Mayor Joy Augustus Young said they will file an election protest, citing alleged “widespread manipulation of the PCOS machines” during the May 13 elections.
“We just have to filter all these things. Our lawyers are gathering affidavits,” he said.
Young said several people approached them after the election to complain that they were given ballots that were “already shaded” indicating pre-set choices for candidates.
He said BO-PK members led by outgoing Rep. Tomas Osmeña of Cebu City’s south district met last Thursday for a post-election assessment.
They have 10 days from the proclamation of winners to file a protest.
BO-PK also plan to  hold a thanksgiving party for their supporters in a vacant lot in the Mambaling access road of the South Road Properties (SRP).
Rama was proclaimed winner in last Monday’s election with a margin of 6,376 votes against Osmeña.
Labella’s proclamation was made  Thursday night  after the re-feeding of ballots and the canvass of votes from three precincts in barangays Mambaling, Luz and Cambinocot which had defected CF memory cards.
Mayor Rama credits his victory to hard work and the support of his allied barangay officials.
He said more than half of the city’s 80 barangay captains supported him. “Wala sad ko mangaway (I also didn’t pick a fight),” he said.
Alvin Raymond Garcia, chairman of the Kusug party, said his group  delivered the votes which they promised to Team Rama candidates and was happy to see Osmeña defeated.
“I waited 12 years for this to happen,” he told CDN.
Congressman  Osmeña said his defeat was due to  “a combination of money, intimidation and the strange thing about computerization.”
He said it was ironic that voting last Monday was slow despite  computerization, discouraging several people who went home.
Young said one senior citizen  complained that the ballot  given to her was partly shaded in circles  beside Rama and Labella’s name.
She returned the  ballot to the poll clerk who replaced it with a blank one.
A motion by  BO-PK lawyers  to have rejected ballots considered and ready manually was denied by the Board of Canvassers.
Young said  several ballots were not read by the PCOS machines but Comelec couldn’t say how many ballots were rejected.
“I am convinced that there was connivance with some teachers and BEIs.  I have high regard for the teachers and I do not want to drag the teachers but I have doubts,” he said./With reports from Correspondent Edison delos Angeles and UP Intern Apple Taas