Comelec junks former Lapu-Lapu Mayor Arturo Radaza’s election protest

The Commission on Election has dismissed the election protest of Former Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Arturo Radaza (above) against current Mayor Junard Chan. | CDN Digital file photo

LAPU-LAPU CITY, Cebu — The Commission on Election (COMELEC) Second Division has dismissed the electoral protest filed by former Lapu-Lapu City Mayor and former congressman Arturo Radaza against the proclaimed mayor of Lapu-Lapu City, Junard “Ahong” Chan. 

According to the Comelec Second Division in its decision that it found the protest insufficient in form and content for the failure of the protestant (Radaza) to indicate a detailed specification of the acts or omissions complained of showing electoral fraud, anomalies or irregularities in the protested precincts as required by the Comelec.

It said that this alone warrants the dismissal of the protest in accordance to the Commission’s ruling (Comelec Resolution No. 8804).

Mayor Chan, who received a copy of the Comelec decision on February 4, 2020, said that he was really the choice of the majority of the Oponganons.

Chan also claimed that there was not a single occurrence of fraud from his side.

 “Mga alegasyon lang gyud nang ilaha,” said Chan about the Radaza’s electoral protest.

 (Those were just their allegations).

CDN Digital tried to contact former Mayor Arturo Radaza but he could not be reached for comment.

Based on the Comelec decision, Radaza in his protest claimed that he was not satisfied with the results of the May 13, elections where he garnered only 66,108 votes against Chan’s 85,976 votes.

Radaza filed the protest on May 24, 2019, where he claimed massive electoral fraud, anomalies and irregularities during the conduct of the election.

One of the bases of his protest was the claims of Radaza’s watchers about many voters allegedly were not counted because they allegedly checked the oval instead of shading it.

During a recount, these ballot may be credited to Radaza because clearly, the voter intended to vote for him.

According to the Radaza’s complaint, that his wachers were surprised that there was no incident of votes for Chan being reflected as an “undervote” on the voter’s receipt.

Radaza claimed that this had further strengthened his claim that the VCMs (vote counting machines) in the subject position had been tampered with.

The former mayor attached 18 of his watchers’ complaints to his protest.

On July 10, 2019, Chan submitted his answer to the complaint and prayed for the summary dismissal of the protest for being grossly insufficient in form and content and for utter failure to comply with the requirements under Comelec Resolutions No. 8804.|dbs