Court rejects San Fernando poll protest

A COURT dismissed the election protest filed by defeated mayoral candidate Lakambini Reluya against San Fernando town Mayor Antonio Canoy for “lack of form and substance.”

Judge Gilbert Moises of the Regional Trial Court Branch 10 said Reluya’s complaint failed to provide “detailed specifications” of her allegations of electoral fraud and irregularities.

Canoy, the only incumbent mayor of the Liberal Party in Cebu’s 1st district, was reelected by a margin of 177 votes.

Canoy received 16,187 votes while Reluya got 16,010 votes.

Canoy’s son Miguel Antonio also won as vice mayor against Reluya’s husband Ricardo in San Fernando, south Cebu.

Ricardo filed a separate election protest against Miguel Antonio.

The protest is pending before Cebu City RTC Judge Wilfredo Navarro of Branch 19.

Canoy’s lawyer Democrito Barcenas said Reluya didn’t follow rules in filing an election protest.

“The complaint is composed of shotgun allegations without specifying how the anomalies were committed,” Barcenas said.

Several ballot boxes were brought to the Palace of Justice yesterday in compliance with the judge’s order.

In her election protest, Reluya said Canoy’s goons harassed voters at several voting areas a day after the elections. She also accused the Municipal Board of Canvassers of hastily proclaiming Canoy as mayor of San Fernando.

Reluya, who ran under the Nacionalista Party, asked the court to recount all ballots in 50 clustered precincts where alleged irregularities took place.

In his reply to the court, Canoy denied hiring goons.

The recent May election was a repeat of the 2010 election where Reluya lost by a slight margin.

In 2010, Reluya lost to Canoy by 1,271 votes.

Reluya also filed an election protest alleging massive vote-buying and other widespread anomalies.

The case submitted for decision before Cebu RTC Judge Ramon Daomilas of Branch 11. Reporter Ador Vincent Mayol