May 9 Election in P’nan Credible – Comelec

No Poll's Protest for Guv

By Mortz C. Ortigoza, MPA

DAGUPAN CITY – The provincial election supervisor of the Commission on Election in Pangasinan said the recent May 9 national and local elections in the province was credible and peaceful.

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“Mas credible naman kung ang Pangasinan ang bangitin. Hindi ko naman na witness iyong other provinces and region. As far as Pangasinan is concerned generally peaceful.  Election Supervisor Ericson Oganiza disclosed in a media interview posted at the social media.

RIGGED POLLS? Former Pangasinan Governor Amado T. Espino, Jr. (2^nd from right, top photo) and supporters decried in a press conference he called last May 11 that his two sons’ Governor Amado “Pogi” Espino, III and 2^nd District Rep. Jumel Anthony Espino were victims of election cheatings in the recent local election; Second photo clockwise shows 5^th District Rep. Ramon “Monmon” Guico, III and spouse Ma-an show the proclamation certificate given by the Commission on Election held at the provincial legislature in Lingayen, Pangasinan that he won the governorship race of the gargantuan province; Third photo bares People’s Initiative Lawyer Laudemer I. Fabia meets reporters after he and his group filed at the provincial Comelec office in Dagupan City the 21,000 signatures backed petition exhorting the poll body to have manual recount in an election in Pangasinan they suspected to be rigged. 

He lauded the opposing parties in the forty-four towns and four cities’ province for shying away from violence during the electoral exercises.

 The provincial election supervisor, a lawyer, said the law has the mechanics how to deal with an election protest if a complainant saw an election offense marred the integrity of the poll.

“Kahit sino pueding sabihin iyan at meron naman tayong proceso para mapatunayan na may nangyayaring dayaan. Hindi man dayaan kung di mga pagkakamali. That is through an election protest. Sasabihin natin na magastos ang proceso pero iyan ang batas natin, e”.

Former Pangasinan Governor Amado T. Espino, Jr. decried in a press conference he and his political supporters called that his sons Pangasinan Governor Amado Espino, III and 2^nd District Congressman Jumel Anthony Espino were cheated.

“Tiyak meron nag hack diyan o gumawa ng kung paano man ang ginawa nila diyan na iyan ang lumabas na resulta. Kaya iyan ang sinasabi ko three termer si Pogi (Governor Amado Espino, III) palagay ko naman hindi kapanipaniwala matalo siya more (than) 65,000, 187 na pala ngayon. 187,000 talunin mo iyong third termer na nagpi perform, awardee palagi? Nakita nila ang buong personality niya sa panahon ng ayuda. Tatlong beses nagpupunta doon sa mga barangay mismo. I doubt very much ang result,” the patriarch of the political family Espinos – who reigned the mammoth province for almost 20 years -  told reporters in a press conference he called last May 10, 2022 held at the Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center in Lingayen, Pangasinan.

5^th District Rep. Ramon “Monmon” Guico, III and former Congressman Mark Cojuangco defeated six years’ Governor Espino and his younger brother 2^nd District Congressman Jumel with lead votes of 187, 801 and 14, 584, respectively.

If it involved the candidates for the provincial position, Oganiza cited, the complaint will be forwarded to the Law Department of the Comelec in Pasay City.

If the election protest has merit, then a manual recounting through revision of ballots will ensue as mandated by law.

PRESS CONFERENCE called by Aguila last May 11 to answer the accusations of former Pangasinan Governor Amado T. Espino, Jr. about the massive cheating done by the party to his governor and congressman's sons. The presser was held at the residence of 2nd District Cong. - Elect Mark Cojuangco at North Bay School, Maramba Blvd., Libsong West in Lingayen, Pangasinan. From L-to-R: Abono Party List Rep. Robert Raymund Estrella, 1st District Cong.-Elect Art Celeste, Bayambang Mayor Cezar T. Quiambao, Vice Governor-Elect Mark Lambino, Pangasinan Governor-Elect Ramon Guico, III, 2nd District Rep. -Elect Mark Cojuangco, and 5th District Cong. - Elect Ramon Guico, Jr.. PHOTO BY MORTZ C. ORTIGOZA

He explained that during the court proceeding for fraud or irregularities in the either the local, provincial, or national election, the ballot boxes will be opened and the offended party examines the ballots like how those shaded name of the candidates’ fare in the counting of the machine.

He said however that there is no complaint for the position of the governor in Pangasinan.

‘As far as doon sa position na binanggit ninyo wala naman kami na receive na notice from the main office kung may protesta for that position”.

Any election offense in a city and the province is handled by the Law Department of the Comelec in Metro Manila.

He said the protest of the organization the People’s Initiative that filed their affidavit on May 16 in the provincial Comelec office in Dagupan City was forwarded to the national office for the concerned authorities there to evaluate if it merits a case of probable cause.

He said the organization did not state what position in the provincial election the counsels led by lawyer Laudemer I. Fabia are protesting.

On May 16 Fabia filed a petition backed by 21,000 signatures of voters that he said could swell in number as the days’ progress.

“Wala po tayong pinagbibentangan na nandaya. Naniniwala lang po kami na may mga iregularidad at may mga dayaang nangyari,” the Lawyer told members of the media.

He said their petition was first of its kind in the country where “it is within the discretion of the Comelec to grant or deny our petition”.

Fabia cited too the illegal transmission of the ballots in the counting machine as one of the complaints in the petition.

Oganiza said petition of the People’s Initiative exhorted the election body to grant them a manual vote counting of the ballots in Pangasinan.

It is the first time, the election supervisor continued, he encountered a complaint like the one launched by the organization without a specific elective position being mentioned.

Lauds the Fast Conclusion of the Ballots’ Counting

Oganiza congratulated the members of the electoral board, poll workers, employees of the Comelec, and others who expedited the counting of ballots to get the winners compared to the previous elections.

“kabisado na ng ating technicians sa Comelec, ang ating mga election officers ang ating mga poll workers,” he cited how these people deal the malfunctions of some of the counting machines.

He cited the glitches that these people trouble shot were the initial misreading of the votes of the secure digital (SD) cards, short circuiting of the machine, and others.

“Iyan nagpabilis sa proceso, mismo ang mga taga “on” may part. Iyong taga Sanggunian Panlalawigan (provincial legislature) empleyado doon sa nakaka-witness tuwing election anong araw kami inabot. Sila doon mismo ang nag comment na mabilis ngayon. Napansin ninyo na mabilis alam na ng mga workers natin ang gagawin”.

READ MY OTHER BLOG:

Powerful Politico Explains How Aguila Defeated the Espinos

MORTZ C. ORTIGOZA

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I am a twenty years seasoned Op-Ed Political Writer in various newspapers and Blogger exposing government corruptions, public officials's idiocy and hypocrisies, and analyzing local and international issues. I have a master’s degree in Public Administration and professional  first grade government eligibility. I taught for a decade Political Science and Economics in universities in Metro Manila and cities of Urdaneta, Pangasinan and Dagupan. Follow me on Twitter @totoMortz or email me at totomortz@yahoo.com.