CEBU CITY—The contest for village chief in seven barangays in Cebu province resulted in a tie on Monday after the counting of ballots in the synchronized barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections.
This was learned Tuesday from provincial election supervisor Lionel Marco Castillano, who said they received reports of the tied results from the towns of Malabuyoc, San Fernando, Tabogon, Alcantara, and Catmon but have yet to specifically identify the names of those barangays.
Based on a Commission on Elections resolution, Castillano said the candidates who got the same number of votes must break the tie through a toss coin.
Of the 1,203 barangays in the province, the Comelec has yet to proclaim the winners in 10 villages, including the seven barangays in question.
The election officer said 99.7 percent of the barangays in the different municipalities and cities in Cebu Province already had their proclamation of winners on Monday.
Castillano said they will be posting the complete list of barangay and SK election winners probably on May 26 or 27.
He also reminded the candidates to submit their Statement of Campaign Expenditures within 30 days after the election.
In Metro Manila, the post-election cleanup began.
“So far, we have collected 15.81 cubic meters of garbage left during the recent Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections,” said Francis Martinez, chief of the Metro Manila Development Authority Parkway Clearing Group.
The agency initially deployed at least 100 street sweepers and clearing personnel to selected areas in cities of Parañaque, Taguig and Makati. The operation is being carried out in close coordination with the local government units in Metro Manila.
“Aside from major thoroughfares, we have deployed personnel upon the request of local Comelec offices to clear campaign materials in some LGUs,” said Martinez.
Two opposition lawmakers, meanwhile, dared Interior Undersecretary Martin Diño to identify the 100 congressmen whom he alleged to be behind vote-buying during the recent elections.
Akbayan Rep. Tom Villarin and Gabriela Rep. Emmi de Jesus also urged Diño to file appropriate charges against them.
“I think DILG Assistant Secretary Martin Diño should let his hands do the talking not his mouth by filing cases against those who violated election laws in the recent barangay polls,” Villarin said.
“The DILG should know better and be prepared to prevent or even mitigate these things from happening prior to the elections through a vigorous information drive about the non-partisan nature of barangay elections,” Villarin added.
De Jesus, for her part, also said Diño should name names.
“Better for Usec. Martin to name names of those involved in these mentioned election anomalies,” said De Jesus.
Villarin also slammed some local government officials for being too focused on federalism at the expense of not being able to perform their main duties and responsibilities.
The Palace on Tuesday congratulated the newly elected barangay officials and youth representatives.
“We thank everyone for the full support and cooperation in ensuring that the 2018 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections had been relatively peaceful and orderly in all regions of the country,” Presidetial Spokesman Harry Roque said on Tuesday.
The Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting on Tuesday said the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections were “generally peaceful” despite reports of vote buying and violent incidents in a few areas.
PPCRV chairperson Rene Sarmiento lauded the efforts of the Commission on Elections, the police, the DILG, the Department of Education, and other agencies which made the 2018 village and youth polls successful.
Senator Paolo Benigno Aquino IV urged the newly elected local leaders to listen to the people they have sworn to serve.
“We should not only be good in campaigning. We should also be good in providing services,” said Aquino.
Aquino said this should start by listening to the community. “We should look into their stories and their needs.”
To address the concerns of the community, Aquino said our barangay and SK leaders should learn from one another and should not be afraid to try innovative solutions.