Tech glitches delay Cordova proclamation

WHILE Vice Mayor Tetche Sitoy Cho won the mayoral race in Cordova town, she has yet to be proclaimed since 436 voters in Barangay Gabi were unable to cast their votes last Monday.

Results of the canvassing of votes showed that Cho amassed 16,542 votes against the 5,098 votes of her half-brother and outgoing Provincial Board Member Arleigh Sitoy of PDP-Laban.

Municipal election officer Rafael Nolasco said he was still waiting for word from their central office on what to do with the 436 remaining voters.

The voters belong to clustered precincts 74a, 74b, 76a and 76b which received the ballots intended for Barangay Jolomaynan in Dalaguete town.
Nolasco said if these voters cast their ballots, the result could still change the ranking of the council candidates.

When Cordova’s Board of Canvassers called for recess before midnight last Monday, they recorded a slim lead of 64 votes by candidate John Tan against Angel Gairanod.

Tan, an independent candidate, occupies the eighth spot, while Gairanod of the Liberal Party is on the ninth spot.

Yesterday, Gairanod asked Nolasco to put on hold the proclamation of election winners until the 436 Gabi voters are able to cast their votes.

Nolasco wrote Provincial Election Officer Eliseo Labaria to request for the printing of 436 ballots for clustered precinct 33. Nolasco personally delivered the letter to the provincial Comelec office on Tuesday afternoon.

“The board believes that it is very material and significant in the determination of possible winning candidate,” said Nolasco, who added that no voter should be deprived of the right to vote.

Of the 772 voters registered under clustered precinct 33, only 336 were able to cast their votes late last Monday afternoon. The remaining 436 have yet to vote.

Nolasco said the 336 voters were accommodated at the Gabi Elementary School that has four clustered precincts.