01 June 2006
LEGAZPI CITY—THE COMMISSION on Elections has proclaimed the rival of the sitting mayor of this city as the winner of the 2004 elections but Mayor Noel Rosal said he would file an appeal at the Supreme Court.
In its May 29, 2006 decision, the Comelec en banc affirmed the decision of its second division that Michael Victor Imperial was the duly elected mayor of Legazpi City with 33,861 votes against the 31,673 votes of Rosal.
The ruling was made on a pre-proclamation protest filed by Imperial against Rosal questioning the results in 520 voting precincts, citing alleged various irregularities.
The decision en banc also said it found that some ballot boxes and ballots had been tampered with.
But the Comelec said a deeper investigation is needed to prosecute the perpetrators of the fraud.
At least 400 members of the Legazpi City Public School Teachers and Employees Association Inc. (Leciptea) branded the Comelec decision as an affront to their dignity because it portrays them as part of the fraud.
“We cannot just accept the results which are contrary to what we have shown during the May 2004 elections. The ballots were honestly and painstakingly counted ... in the presence of all the poll watchers of the different parties ...,” said Fe Dolot, head of the Leciptea.
“How will our pupils, their parents and the whole country react now? We will be tagged as cheaters,” Dolot added.
She said the Leciptea is planning to seek help from the Commission on Human Rights.
Dolot said she was not aware of the Comelec’s basis for coming up with the decision en banc but clarified that the teachers were not singling out any commissioner or election official for the decision. Ephraim Aguilar, PDI Southern Luzon Bureau
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