Tension Rises Over ‘Mambaling Ballot Box’

Tension brewed inside the social hall as the lead counsel for Team Rama, Atty. Ernesto P. Rama and campaign manager,Jose Cortez Daluz questioned the placing of the Mambaling ballot box inside the city treasurer’s office before the proceedings of the City Board of Canvassers (CBOC)and asked why the net has already been broken without the presence of witnesses from both parties.

“Last night the BOC stated that all of the 3 ballot boxes are in the social hall, but as we learned just this morning, 1 ballot box was left in the city treasurer’s office” Campaign Manager of Team Rama Jose Cortez Daluz said.

“When the chairman gave us a time to manifest he explained that he was the one instructing the city treasurer to prepare, that is why the net was not covering the box. Now my question is, when did he gave the instruction? The city treasurer should enlighten us. When was the instruction given? I believe that was given not during the proceedings. It was given in private.” Daluz said.

Daluz also said that he wants to know who are these personnel from the treasurer’s office who are assigned to open the net of the ballot box and now, they are questioning the integrity of the Mambaling ballot box.

“I just want to be sure that there is nobody who touched the ballot box” Daluz said.

“We are worried, we are really worried. Why? I don’t know. We were made to believe that the 3 boxes were here in the social hall when in fact the Mambaling ballot box was placed in the treasurer’s office. Especially when we went there, it is already opened. Very easy to pull out anytime” Daluz added.

Lead counsel for Team Rama before the CBOC proceedings, Atty. Ernesto P. Rama said that whatever is the appearance which is not similar in accordance with the rules to be manifested, there is really nothing wrong with that.

“Tomorrow we will know when the flashcards arrive. We will know the status of the ballot box. The seal will be broken, the serial numbers will be taken, and everything” Atty. Rama said.

“Of course standard procedures for the legal team and the party is to have a 24 hour watch on the ballot boxes stored in the social hall, the watchers will be present because by law only the watchers has the access near the ballot but they could not touch it” Atty. Rama added.

Attorney Rama also said that there is a 24/7 shifting scheme of the watchers and assures that the CCTV are in place.

COMELEC Cebu City South District Officer Ferdinand Gujilde said that he did not order to open the nets of the ballots. Gujilde also assures both parties not to be worried of the net that has already been opened.

“Ang net wala mana gi- require by the rules to seal the ballot box. Kung inyong tan-awun ang ballot box, ang nag seal ana is the wire metal seal. Kung inyong tan-awun baga gyud na siya ug dili madali dali ug putol” Gujilde said.

“Well I understand the concern of Atty. Daluz but what I can say is that the net is not required by the rules to seal the ballot box. In other words, if it is not inside the net it is not a violation” Gujilde added.

A recess delayed the proclamation for vice mayor and three other councilors. The vice mayorality race has a neck to neck battle between Councilor Edgardo Labella of Team Rama having a 371 vote lead with 202,255 votes against Vice Mayor Joy Augustus Young of Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK) with 201,884.

COMELEC Cebu City South District Officer Ferdinand Gujilde called another recess due to the replacement of 3 defective CF cards that hasn’t arrived yet from Manila for Mambaling, Barrio Luz, and Cambinocot precincts.