Mayor Monico Puentevella thanked the employees of the Bacolod City government for their support during his stint as mayor in what could be his last flag ceremony at City Hall yesterday. Puentevella told department and office heads, and regular and casual employees, his presence before them does not mean goodbye but he does not actually know yet when he will be returning to City Hall. Puentevella, whose term ends noontime of June 30, shook hands with all the employees and was embraced by his emotional supporters. He lost to Bacolod Rep. and mayor-elect Evelio Leonardia during the May 9 elections by 22,238 votes. Puentevella and his running mate, Pamilya MKK vice mayoralty candidate Vladimir Gonzalez filed an election protest last week before the Electoral Contest Adjudication Department of the Commission on Elections seeking a manual recount or audit of the ballots cast during the May 9 elections. Gonzalez also lost to Councilor and Vice Mayor-elect El Cid Familiaran by 21,749 votes. Both Leonardia and Familiaran ran under the Nationalist People's Coalition-Grupo Progreso. Puentevella got 97,993 votes against Leonardia who got 120,231 votes, while Gonzalez got 86,611 votes against El Cid Familiaran who got 108,360 votes. Joselito Bayatan, counsel of Leonardia, said he had received a summon from the Comelec which included a prayer to order the Board of Canvassers to facilitate the manual recount or audit of ballots cast during the May 9 elections in the assailed 198 clustered precincts in 45 barangays in Bacolod and to order the City Treasurer to hold and secure in its custody the ballot boxes, vote counting machine, and all other paraphernalia and records until further ordered by the Comelec. It also stated that “In the event that the manually recounted or audited votes of Bacolod show that protestant Puentevella is the rightful winner for the position of mayor, the Comelec shall annul and withdraw the proclamation of protestee Leonardia as elected mayor of Bacolod, and to proclaim Puentevella as the duly elected mayor of Bacolod.” Majarucon-Sia was also directed by the Comelec to submit documents of the 198 clustered precincts subject of the election protest. Earlier, a Civil Case No. 1604 was also filed against Bacolod Election Officer Mavil Majarucon-Sia, Lelanie Lory Bojos and Gerald John Joven of the Board of Canvassers and City Treasurer Giovanni Balalilhi by Richard Calulut, Rufino Alcala, Rodelyn Jagunap, Lope Ledesma, Jr., Levy Cadagat, Jr., Rodolfo Robles, Jr., Banni Macapodi, Nelson Reyes, Rosanna Ilon, Jose Jessie Bantigue, Madeline Diaz, Salvacion Penuela, Febe Legaspi, Joji Agbas, Emilia Lopez, Edgardo Emilia, Jessel Sombilla and Stella Alfabeto also seeking a manual recount of the ballots cast. Losing Pamilya MKK candidates for councilor also filed a motion for intervention before the Regional Trial Court Branch 42 joining other petitioners in seeking a manual count or audit of the ballots cast in the May 9 elections.*CGS Visayan Daily Star BY CHRYSEE SAMILLANO
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Sia, Bayatan each issued Comelec summons Familiaran receives notice regarding manual audit6/20/2016 Bacolod City Election Officer Atty. Mavil Majarucon-Sia and Atty. Joselito Bayatan, legal counsel to Bacolod City Mayor-elect Evelio ‘Bing’ Leonardia, each received a summons to submit documents from 198 clustered precincts in 45 barangays in the city. Vice Mayor-elect El Cid Familiaran also received a notice for the manual audit of four clustered precincts. An order was also issued to the city treasurer to hold and secure the custody of the ballot boxes, vote counting machines, and other election paraphernalia until further notice from the Commission on Elections (Comelec). The summons was the result to a suit filed by Atty. Lyndon Caña, on behalf of the National Unity Party-Magbinuligay Kita sa Kauswagan (NUP-MKK), against the Bacolod City Board of Canvassers demanding a manual count and audit of ballots to validate the automated election results. Recently, Partido MKK candidates Bacolod City Mayor Monico Puentevella and running mate Vladimir ‘Vladi’ Gonzalez filed an election protest before the Electoral Contest Adjudication Department of the Comelec seeking for a manual recount or auditing of the ballots casted during the May 9 polls./WDJ Watchmen Daily Journal By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga THE proposed “big-ticket” projects for Bacolod City will proceed once he takes over the helm of the City Government, incoming Mayor Evelio Leonardia said. Among these is the 21-kilometer New Bacolod Economic Highway that will connect barangay Sum-ag to the Bacolod- Silay Airport Access Road. Leonardia said in a press release that the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has included a P300-million item for this project in the 2017 budget. The Bacolod official recently met with outgoing DPWH secretary Rogelio Singson. He added that his successor, outgoing vice mayor Greg Gasataya, will pursue the projects he left behind as congressman. “Bacolod is turning a new leaf as far as the relationship of the mayor and the congressman go. For the first time, we will have a mayor, congressman and vice mayor who will work harmoniously together,” Leonardia said. Leonardia, Gasataya and vice mayor-elect El Cid Familiaran all belong to Grupo Progreso party. Sun Star Bacolod Sia, Bayatan each issued Comelec summons Familiaran receives notice regarding manual audit6/20/2016 Bacolod City Election Officer Atty. Mavil Majarucon-Sia and Atty. Joselito Bayatan, legal counsel to Bacolod City Mayor-elect Evelio ‘Bing’ Leonardia, each received a summons to submit documents from 198 clustered precincts in 45 barangays in the city. Vice Mayor-elect El Cid Familiaran also received a notice for the manual audit of four clustered precincts. An order was also issued to the city treasurer to hold and secure the custody of the ballot boxes, vote counting machines, and other election paraphernalia until further notice from the Commission on Elections (Comelec). The summons was the result to a suit filed by Atty. Lyndon Caña, on behalf of the National Unity Party-Magbinuligay Kita sa Kauswagan (NUP-MKK), against the Bacolod City Board of Canvassers demanding a manual count and audit of ballots to validate the automated election results. Recently, Partido MKK candidates Bacolod City Mayor Monico Puentevella and running mate Vladimir ‘Vladi’ Gonzalez filed an election protest before the Electoral Contest Adjudication Department of the Comelec seeking for a manual recount or auditing of the ballots casted during the May 9 polls./WDJ Watchmen Daily Journal By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga Several projects under outgoing Bacolod City Congressman and Mayor-elect Evelio ‘Bing’ Leonardia will push through, even after he transitions out of office. Leonardia said the construction of the 21-kilometer New Bacolod Economic Highway will push through and will connect Brgy. Sum-ag to the Bacolod-Silay Airport Access Road. A P50 million road lighting project for the northern and southern entrances of the city is also being prepared, a project Leonardia blames outgoing Bacolod City Mayor Monico Puentevella is delaying. “Incoming Congressman Greg Gasataya has assured he will pursue the projects we left behind,” he said. The newly-elected chief executive also said, for the first time in the city’s history, the congressman, mayor, and vice-mayor will work together harmoniously. The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has also included a P300 million item for a highway project in the 2017 budget, following a meeting between Leonardia and outgoing DPWH secretary Rogelio Singson. “I also wanted to thank him for the unprecedented volume of infrastructure projects that were poured into Bacolod in the last three years,” Leonardia said. Besides the new highway project for the city, the construction of hundreds of new school buildings and new drainage systems for the city are underway, with the projects amounting to at least P4 billion. Leonardia, Gasataya, and Vice Mayor-elect El Cid Familiaran all belong to Grupo Progreso./WDJ Watchmen Daily Journal By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga Outgoing Bacolod Rep. and Mayor-elect Evelio“Bing”Leonardia assured that his big-ticket projects for the city will continue even after he leaves the congressional office, a press release from his office said yesterday. Leonardia said the 21-kilometer New Bacolod Economic Highway that will connect barangay Sum-ag to the Bacolod-Silay Airport Access Road will push through. He has also been assured that the P50-million project that will light up the northern and southern entrances is still available. Incoming congressman Greg Gasataya has also assured he will pursue the projects we leave behind, Leonardia added. “Bacolod is turning a new leaf as far as the relationship of the Mayor and the Congressman go.For the first time, we will have a mayor, congressman and vice-mayor who will work harmoniously together. This augurs well for the city,” he added. The Department of Public Works and Highways has included a P300-million item for this project in the 2017 budget, Leonardia said, after meeting with outgoing DPWH secretary Rogelio Singson, recently. Leonardia discussed with Singson pending projects for Bacolod. “I also wanted to thank him for the unprecedented volume of infrastructure projects poured into Bacolod in the last three years. " He said these projects amounted to about P4.094 billion. And among them are hundreds of school buildings and big drainage projects in major rivers and creeks that are still on-going. The P50-million lighting project for the city that would have come from the Road Board, as promised by Director Adolfo Escalona, did not push through last year because they could not get Mayor MonicoPuentevella to cooperate, Leonardia said. This time, we look forward to the three of us working together for the good of our city, he said. Leonardia, Gasataya and Vice Mayor-elect El Cid Familiaran all come from one political party - Grupo Progreso.* Visayan Daily Star June 20, 2016 Partido MKK candidates Mayor Monico Puentevella and his running mate, vice mayoralty candidate Vladimir Gonzalez, filed an election protest before the Electoral Contest Adjudication Department of the Commission on Elections seeking a manual recount or audit of the ballots cast during the May 9 elections. Puentevella lost to Bacolod Rep. and Mayor-elect Evelio Leonardia, while Gonzalez lost to Councilor and Vice Mayor-elect El Cid Familiaran. Both Leonardia and Familiaran ran under the Nationalist People's Coalition-Grupo Progreso. Puentevella got 97,993 votes against Leonardia who got 120,231 votes, while Gonzalez got 86,611 votes against El Cid Familiaran who got 108,360 votes. Bacolod Election Officer Mavil Majarucon-Sia yesterday said she received a summon from Comelec directing her to submit documents of 198 clustered precincts in 45 barangays in Bacolod City, subject of the election protest. Familiaran said he received a notice of the manual audit covering four clustered precincts only. Joselito Bayatan, counsel of Leonardia, said he also received a summon from the Comelec. He said it included a prayer to order the Board of Canvassers to facilitate the manual recount or audit of ballots cast during the May 9 elections in the assailed 198 clustered precincts in 45 barangays in Bacolod and to order the City Treasurer to hold and secure in its custody the ballot boxes, vote counting machine, and all other paraphernalia and records until further ordered by the Comelec. It also stated that “In the event that the manually recounted or audited votes of Bacolod show that protestant Puentevella is the rightful winner for the position of mayor, the Comelec shall annul and withdraw the proclamation of protestee Leonardia as elected mayor of Bacolod, and to proclaim Puentevella as the duly elected mayor of Bacolod.” Earlier, a Civil Case No. 1604 was also filed by Richard Calulut, Rufino Alcala, Rodelyn Jagunap, Lope Ledesma, Jr., Levy Cadagat, Jr., Rodolfo Robles, Jr., Banni Macapodi, Nelson Reyes, Rosanna Ilon, Jose Jessie Bantigue, Madeline Diaz, Salvacion Penuela, Febe Legaspi, Joji Agbas, Emilia Lopez, Edgardo Emilia, Jessel Sombilla and Stella Alfabeto also seeking a manual recount of the ballots cast. The class suit was filed against Majarucon-Sia, Lelanie Lory Bojos and Gerald John Joven of the Board of Canvassers and City Treasurer Giovanni Balalilhi. Losing Pamilya MKK candidates for councilor also filed a motion for intervention before the Regional Trial Court Branch 42 joining other petitioners in seeking a manual count or audit of the ballots cast in the May 9 elections.*CGS Visayan Daily Star BY CHRYSEE SAMILLANO The Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) did not meet yesterday as all city councilors are attending an ongoing convention in Cagayan De Oro. SP Secretary Vicente Petierre said the SP previously approved a resolution rescheduling the weekly session to June 17, Friday. A Philippine Councilors League convention is being held this week in Cagayan de Oro. Meanwhile, Vice Mayor and Congressman-elect Greg Gasataya is reportedly in Manila. The final three regular sessions of the SP are scheduled for June 17, 22, and 29. “The office of the vice mayor is also preparing all the documents to be turned over to the incoming vice mayor, Councilor El Cid Familiaran,” Petierre added. Familiaran will formally replace Congressman-elect Gasataya as Vice Mayor on June 30 Watchmen Daily Journal By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga Candidates for councilor of Pamilya Magbinuligay Kita Para sa Kauswagan filed a petition for intervention Monday before the Regional Trial Court Branch 42 joining other petitioners in seeking a manual count or audit of the ballots cast in the May 9 elections in Bacolod City. Outgoing Councilor Alex Paglumotan yesterday said they filed the petition as intervenors joining the thousands of petitioners who had earlier filed a class suit against the members of the Board of Canvassers and the City Treasurer. Civil Case No. 1604 was earlier filed by Richard Calulut, Rufino Alcala, Rodelyn Jagunap, Lope Ledesma, Jr., Levy Cadagat, Jr., Rodolfo Robles, Jr., Banni Macapodi, Nelson Reyes, Rosanna Ilon, Jose Jessie Bantigue, Madeline Diaz, Salvacion Penuela, Febe Legaspi, Joji Agbas, Emilia Lopez, Edgardo Emilia, Jessel Sombilla and Stella Alfabeto against Bacolod Comelec Officer Mavil Majarucon-Sia, Lelanie Lory Bojos and Gerald John Joven of the BOC and City Treasurer Giovanni Balalilhi. The class suit was raffled off to RTC Branch 42 under Judge Fernando Elumba. In their petition, the complainants said that they were deprived of the right to know how their votes were tallied, appreciated, totaled and/or canvassed. In a text message, Majarucon said, let the court decide on the matter. Earlier, she said the members of the BOC did not tabulate the result. It was the system itself that did the tabulation and consolidation. Councilors Wilson Gamboa Jr., Sonya Verdeflor and Anna Marie Palermo said they have no idea regarding the matter since they were in Cagayan de Oro this week to attend the activity of the Councilor's League of the Philippines. The petitioners, represented by Lyndon Cana and Joel Cabalatungan, prayed that the ballot boxes should not to be sent to the Commission on Elections in Manila but detained in Bacolod for the manual recount. They said that when the results of the elections were announced by the Board of Canvassers, they were shocked and could not believe that their candidates only got the following votes against their leading opponents: MKK congressional candidate Jude Thaddeus Sayson got 84,431 votes against Greg Gasataya of Grupo Progreso who got 85,467 votes. Mayoralty candidate Monico Puentevella got 97,993 votes against Evelio Leonardia (GP) who got 120,231 votes. MKK vice mayoralty candidate Vladimir Gonzalez got 86,611 votes against El Cid Familiaran (GP) who got 108,360 votes. Aside from Paglumotan, other MKK candidates for councilor who lost were Homer Bais, Catalino Alisbo, Jocilyn Uychiat, Arnel Sigue, Lyzander Dilag and Dr. Francis Balzomo. Balzomo reportedly did not sign the petition to seek a recount. Earlier, Caña said that their main objective is not to unseat people but to seek the truth by way of manual recount or audit. He said they want the votes canvassed manually because it is the right of the voter to view the manner of tabulating the total votes cast which was not provided by the system. The automated election simply gave a receipt to the voters which only registered the names of the candidates they voted for. Caña said they are seeking a manual recount in order to assure the public that their votes were properly counted and not only is the secrecy of the ballot assured but also its sanctity.*CGS Visayan Daily Star BY CHRYSEE SAMILLANO The Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) did not meet yesterday as all city councilors are attending an ongoing convention in Cagayan De Oro. SP Secretary Vicente Petierre said the SP previously approved a resolution rescheduling the weekly session to June 17, Friday. A Philippine Councilors League convention is being held this week in Cagayan de Oro. Meanwhile, Vice Mayor and Congressman-elect Greg Gasataya is reportedly in Manila. The final three regular sessions of the SP are scheduled for June 17, 22, and 29. “The office of the vice mayor is also preparing all the documents to be turned over to the incoming vice mayor, Councilor El Cid Familiaran,” Petierre added. Familiaran will formally replace Congressman-elect Gasataya as Vice Mayor on June 3 By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga Watchmen Daily Journal |
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