Compostela recanvassing postponed

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) again postponed the recanvassing of votes for Compostela town, north Cebu, yesterday.

Compostela town councilor-elect Tessa Cang  told CEBU DAILY NEWS that it was rescheduled on March 5 after the Election Records Statistics Department (ERSD) tasked to “extract” data needed for another round of recanvassing said it was only available on that date.

Cang, who was with other Compostela officials, said she was sad with the postponement.

“It’s okay. We have accepted the sad reality since then … We can’t do anything. This is what the President is claiming to have the matuwid na daan,” she said in a text message to CDN.

The special Municipal Board of Canvassers (MBOC) counted on Monday the 15 ERs of clustered precincts subject to the election protest filed by Joel Quino’s opponent, former mayor Ritchie Wagas.

The copes were sent via sealed envelopes from Cebu.

While the canvassing was finished last Monday, irregularities were found in two ERs representing two precincts.

This prompted the MBOC to hold the supposed proclamation on that same day.

Cang asked townsfolk in Compostela to extend their patience until March 5.

“I cannot dictate people on what to do but I can appeal to them to wait until March 5,” she said.

“If nothing will happen, I think they have the right to let the government be aware why the Comelec is blatantly abusing their rights. They are the ones being disenfranchised,” she added. /Correspondent Carmel Loise Matus