Respect Outcome Of Election, Candidates Told

Commission on Elections (Comelec-7) Regional Director Jose Nick Mendros said losing candidates must honor and respect the outcome of the May 9 election amid reports that some candidates are questioning the poll results.

“The electoral process allowed people to reflect their votes and that we need to respect,” said Mendros as some losing candidates are not accepting their defeat.

Mendros said there is a need to change the orientation of Filipinos and accept all eventualities, whether in victory or in defeat.

In the Philippines, candidates usually do not accept defeat, claiming that they were cheated, added the Comelec official.

Mendros said some losers tend to blame the Comelec why they lost saying they were cheated.

He said losing candidates should not discredit the institution that is spreading the democratic system, “as there is a need to level up our maturity and accept the will of the people through their votes.”

“We spent many hours preparing for this,” said Mendros as he lauded the Board of Election Inspectors, police, military, and Comelec for the hard work poured into ensuring that the elections would be peaceful.

“Credit should be given to these people (BEIs) and their P5,000 to P7,000 honorarium is not enough,” he said.

Mendros, however, said it is the right of any losing candidate to file a protest.

Msgr. Joseph Tan, spokesperson of C-CIMPEL, on the other hand, said some candidates accepted defeat graciously and even extended reconciliation to their political opponents, like Senator Grace Poe.

Meanwhile, Police Regional Office -7 Regional Director C/Supt. Patrocinio Commendador said he ordered the activation of the Civil Disturbance Management team especially in Cebu City in anticipation of possible mass protest from supporters of losing candidate dissatisfied with the poll result. (rmn/fcr/PIA7)