CL NEWSWEEK

Pampanga vote recount

Revision over; Lengthy trials begin

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO--- The work of the 21 revision committees formed by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for the recount of ballots for the gubernatorial election of Pampanga is finally over but lengthy court proceedings are expected to drag on.

This was according to Comelec Commissioner Nicodemo Ferrer last week amid the proliferation of text messages alleging that losing gubernatorial candidate Lilia Pineda has overtaken Pampanga Governor Eddie Panlilio by about 2,500 votes after the revision.

Ferrer said that while the revision was completed last week, the Comelec has not issued a final verdict on the recount since the Second Division still has to hold trial on the contested ballots.

He said that circulating text messages claiming that Pineda has overtaken Panlilio’s 1,140-point lead by more than double are “not only unofficial, but invalid.”

Ferrer explained that both camps are still expected to raise questions on ballots they have identified during the revision and these would be decided upon by the commission whether for or against any of the two parties.

Right after the less-than-40-day revision process ended on September 16, the revision committees are expected to submit their respective reports to the Second Division within 10 days, he explained.

Ferrer said that even after the Comelec arrived to a decision, the losing party could still take the process before the Supreme Court, which will resolve with finality the real winner in the election.

Last week, a text message that reads “Final Tally, Physical Count (Excluding Contested And Claimed Ballots. Pineda – 206,041; Panlilio – 203,409; Margin – 2,632; Baby Pineda won” circulated in the province.

--By Albert B. Lacanlale