Comelec to examine list in 168 precincts

The commission on Elections (Comelec) will soon begin the technical examination of election results from Cebu City precincts which had been the subject of an election protest by former mayor Michael Rama against Mayor Tomas Osmeña.

A letter signed by Comelec Second Division presiding commissioner Al Parreño received by Rama ordered the former mayor to pay a cash deposit so that the technical examination of the contested precincts can begin.

The technical examination comes months after Comelec-Manila concluded, early this year, a manual recount of ballots from 168 precincts or 20 percent of Cebu City’s 837 clustered precincts.

The 168 pilot precincts included those from Barangays Guadalupe, Inayawan, Ermita, Camputhaw, Mabolo, Punta Princesa, T. Padilla, Poblacion Pardo, Sambag 1, Basak San Nicolas, Basak Pardo, Bulacao and Calamba.

According to Cebu City Councilor and Rama camp lawyer Jocelyn Pesquera, after the manual recount, the technical examination will now involve the examination of the Election Day Computerized Voters List (EDCVL) to check if it actually matches the number of votes and signatures on the ballots that were earlier manually counted by Comelec.

In a press conference, Friday, Rama refused to divulge the amount of the cash deposit needed to start the process but said that his lawyers were working on it.

“We will have our meeting (with my lawyers) somewhere in November so that we will be guided on what to expect, what role we have and the ramifications of this proceeding,” said Rama.

“Pasabot, ang atong protesta buhi ug dakong buhi (This means that our protest is very much alive),” added Rama, a day before celebrating his 63rd birthday today.

Asked what his birthday wish would be, Rama said: “(I wish) justice will be given unto me. And justice will be given unto the people of the city of Cebu on the ferocity, atrocity and the vicious sense of vindictiveness that is being felt by the entire constituency of the city of Cebu.”

Rama revealed that he will also continue to talk with the lawyers of defeated vice presidential candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. who has a similar election protest against Vice President Leni Robredo.

Comelec-Manila has begun the technical examination on the pilot contested precincts of the Marcos’ camp.