More election protests swarm Comelec

At least 12 defeated local candidates have filed election protests with the Commission on Elections (Comelec), all of whom are blaming alleged irregularities in the May automated polls for their losses. Data from the poll body's Electoral Contests Adjudication Department (ECAD) indicate that at least six losing mayoral bets are seeking the nullification of the proclamation of their opponents because of supposed anomalies in the conduct of the polls in their area. These candidates include former Manila Mayor Jose Atienza (who lost to re-electionist Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim), former Quezon City Rep. Michael Defensor (who lost to Quezon City Vice Mayor Herbert Bautista), Erwin Genuino (who lost to Makati Councilor Jun-jun Binay), Alfredo Cheng (who lost to Marikina Rep. Del De Guzman), Antonio Gatuslao (who lost to Agustin Ernesto Bascon in Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental), and Arcadio Gapangada (who lost to re-electionist San Pablo, Laguna Mayor Vicente Amante). Atienza had earlier asked for the disqualification of Lim for supposedly "misusing" government equipment during the campaign period. On the other hand, Defensor said Bautista won the mayoral seat due to several irregularities in Quezon City on Election Day, which include the reported lack of security measures, supposed missing ballots, and even vote-buying. Genuino, for his part, cited the supposed disenfranchisement of several voters in Makati. He also said there were suspicious men operating the Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machines in one precinct. Besides mayoralty races, ECAD records also showed that defeated gubernatorial bet North Cotabato Vice Governor Emmanuel Piñol (who lost to Cotabato Rep. Lala Talinio-Mendoza) and Rosenaida Rosales (who lost to Stephen Tan for the Western Samar vice gubernatorial post) have filed election protests against their rivals. Piñol, in a petition filed Friday, alleged that massive vote-buying occurred in North Cotabato, resulting in his defeat. Defeated San Fernando, La Union vice mayoral bet Pancracio Nisce, Davao City councilor bet Ernie Alfredo, and Trece Martirez City councilor bets Nicanor Comia and Ebergerson Garcia have likewise filed their respective poll protests. - RSJ, RJAB Jr., GMANews.TV