CITY OF MALOLOS—Angat town residents on Monday led the camp of defeated mayoralty candidate Lamberto de Leon (LDL) in filing a motion for reconsideration (MR) after a court earlier dismissed an election protest case they filed over 259 marginal winning votes of proclaimed winner, re-electionist Mayor Jowar Bautusta.
Judge Golda Pablo-Salamat of Branch 78 of Bulacan regional trial court (RTC) dismissed on May 28 the election protest case filed by De akeon’s camp against Bautista for being insufficient in form and in substance.
The case filed on May 22 and was raffled to the sala of Salamat that sought a recount on the votes of De De Leon in 22 precincts after the losing mayoralty candidate recorded a very slim 259 losing votes was raffled to Salamat branch on May 26.
De Leon, through his lawyer, Reinaldo Lazaro ssked the court for recount after re-electionist Bautista earned 18,892 Votes against 18,633 votes of De Leon.
In the 2-paged order, Salamat said the election protest filed by the camp of De Leon is insufficient in form and substance.
“Upon a judicious examination and perusal of the Petition, including the affidavits and written statements and other documents attached thereto, the court finds the protest insufficient in form and substance. The total number of precincts in the municipality; the protested precincts and votes of the parties in the protested precincts per the Statement of Votes by Precinct or, if the votes of the parties are not specified, an explanation why the votes are not specified, the precinct number and location of the pilot clustered protested precincts, which shall not be less than and nearest to twenty percent (20%) of the total number of protested precincts that will best illustrate the merits of the protest and which shall be subject to the initial revision of ballots; and
(v) a detailed specification of the acts or omissions complained of showing the electoral frauds, anomalies or irregularities in the protested precincts. A perusal of the petition reveals that the protestant failed to comply with items (iv) and (v) of the above-stated rule. This omission constitutes a fatal defect that renders the protest legally infirm,” the court diskissal stated.
In the MR, Lazaro said however that they have indicated what they wanted recounted which are 22 out of the 54 precincts which comprises more than 20% of the total number of protested precincts that will best illustrate the merits of the protest.
De Leon, succeeded the candidacy of his unlce, then 86 year old late long time Angat Mayor Leonardo “Narding” de Leon who died on Jan. 5, while in a meeting in Baliwag City for the preparations for tye start of the campaign.
His vice mayoralty candidate, Angat Councilor Oscar Suarez also died on Feb. 2, about a month after the former long time mayor died. Both of them fell due to ailment.
The older De Leon, is fondly called by the people of Bulacan particularly in Angat as “The Legend” for spending nearly 60 years of his life as Angat mayor and as a government personnel in Angat town and at the Bulacan Provincial Government. He served as mayor and vice mayor of Angat for more than 40 years.
Seventy eight year old Estelita Joaquin from Barangay Sulucan, Angat said they want the truth to prevail in the result of the May 12 elections where they voted for their candidate LDL.
“Why LDL, our mayor was not proclaimed winner. We want the truth to prevail. Angat voted for him and yet, he was not proclaimed winner,” Joaquin told NEWSCORE.
Glenda Dela Cruz, 50, from Barangay Paltok said that LDL won in almost all the 16 barangays in Angat, but was proclaimed to have only won in 10 villages.
“Only 85 percent of the result of the election were completely turned in and counted, yet, rival Mayor Jowar Bautista was already declared winner,” Dela Cruz told NEWSCORE.
“Why Mayor Jowar was immeciately proclaimed when not all the votes were counted. We really doubt the result of the election. We are here asking the court to grant a recount,” she said.
De Leon said in a statement on Monday that his fight is not for himself but for the people of Angat. “This is now the fight of the people of Angat and a battle for our beloved Mayor Narding, and not only of myself,” he said.
