Cebu Comelec awaits rules for Compostela recount

ELECTIONS officers in Cebu province wrote to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) central office in Manila seeking guidelines on how to conduct the recanvassing of votes in Compostela town.

Comelec Provincial Supervisor Lionel Marco Castillano said they cannot use the May 2010 canvassing guidelines because last year’s election was automated while Compostela votes will be recanvassed manually.

He said they have yet to receive a copy of the Comelec en banc resolution ordering the Comelec in Cebu province to reconvene and recanvass votes in the northern Cebu town.

In his letter, Castillano also asked Bartolome Sino-Cruz Jr., Comelec deputy executive director for operations, when the resolution would be final and executory.

Comelec decisions are supposed to be executed 30 days after promulgation.

Since the Compostela recount decision was promulgated last June 13, the recanvassing should be conducted on June 14.

But officials still await the go signal from their main office, Castillano said.

Castillano assured that if the recanvassing should be conducted on July 14, they can get things ready in less than two weeks.

Castillano asked who should comprise the Municipal Board of Canvassers.

The municipal treasurer, who is the vice chairman of MBOC was suspended by the Ombudsman for six months while Compostela election officer Desierto Hortelano, chairman of MBOC has been reassigned to the Comelec office in Poro town.

Castillano asked if the election officer can request mobilization for the recanvassing. The election officer has to assess if it is better to conduct the recanvassing outside Compostela.

Mayoralty candidate Joel Quiño said he has not yet filed a motion for reconsideration with the Supreme Court on the nullity of their proclamation filed by former mayor Ritchie Wagas.

He said they will wait for the schedule of the recanvassing.

He said his camp believes the recanvassing will reveal that they have more votes than Wagas and his camp.