Barbers seeks probe of alleged fraud in 2 Surigao towns

SURIGAO CITY - Claiming harassment, massive cheating and vote-buying occurred for the first time in the Surigao del Norte towns of Tubod and Mainit, Rep. Robert Ace Barbers is requesting the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to probe the said incidents. Barbers claimed that local poll officials saw for themselves how widespread vote-buying, harassment and other fraudulent acts were being conducted by his clan’s political opponents. Barbers’ brother Governor Robert Lyndon’s closest rival for the province’s 2nd congressional district is Tubod Mayor Guillermo Abiton Romarate Jr. Romarate is said to own the Asset Lending Corporation and Philmen’s Credit Corporation that have branches nationwide. At the time the provincial canvassing was halted Friday, Lyndon Barbers got 56,459 votes while Romarate got 62,317 votes or a difference of 5,858 votes with still 13 polling precincts from the Municipality of Mainit still to be canvassed. The canvassing was originally set to resume Tuesday afternoon but such did not materialize. Lawyer Cirilo Nala, acting regional director for Comelec-Caraga told GMANews.TV in a phone interview that the provincial canvassers from Manila have already arrived here in the city but the canvassing has yet to resume as of posting time. When asked about the Comelec order to suspend canvassing last Friday, Nala only replied in the negative, saying,he is very busy as he is now at the National Canvassing Board in Manila. GMANews.TV tried but failed to reach Surigao del Norte Election Supervisor Joy Jonathan Senaca for his comments. Likewise, a visit by GMANews.TV to the Provincial Board Canvassing area here proved futile as it was closed. "We are not for the delay of the canvassing much more it is not true that my brother does not accept defeat. What we are against here are prohibitive or criminal acts that we wanted investigated. We were able to document it during the elections," winning gubernatorial bet Robert Ace Barbers told GMANews.TV in an interview. Robert Ace Barbers served as congressman for three terms. Based on the final, unofficial quick count of Namfrel in Surigao del Norte, Barbers was leading his opponents with a total of 102,156 votes against Gigaquit Mayor Danilo De Lara Orquina (47,280)and Placer Mayor Felimon Napuli (30,581). - Alvin Guanzon, GMANews.TV