Former Technical Education and Skills Development Authority director general Guiling “Gene” Mamondiong on Thursday urged the Commission on Elections to “immediately” resolve the electoral protest he filed against outgoing Lanao del Sur Vice Gov. Mamintal “Bombit” Adiong Jr., who won in the May 13 gubernatorial race.
At a Quezon City news conference, Mamondiong was joined by another defeated gubernatorial bet Hatta Dimaporo, son of the late governor, representative and university president Mohammad Ali Dimaporo.
“The worst incident of vote buying happened in Lanao del Sur,” he told reporters.
The ex-Tesda chief filed a petition with Comelec seeking the nullification of the election results in the entire province.
Fellow gubernatorial bets—Dimaporo, Agakhan “Binladen” Sharief and Sultan Bob Datimbang—earlier called for the suspension of the effects of proclamation and for the declaration of failure of elections.
The four losing candidates urged Comelec to conduct a special election. Mamondiong said the conduct of elections in Lanao del Sur was marred by violence, vote buying and massive fraud.
“We have faith in Comelec now that it is being chaired by a fellow Muslim, Sheriff Abas,” he said.
Abas is the first Mindanaoan and first Muslim elections chief.
“The petition’s first hearing on June 11 was reset to July 2,” Mamondiong said.
Adiong, a former three-term governor, got a vote of over 190,000 against Mamondiong and the other bets.
