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
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