Rebaldo : Am Still Kalibo Mayor

By Boy Ryan B. Zabal

Kalibo Mayor Raymar Rebaldo denied reports that William Lachica will assume as the new mayor of Kalibo. The electoral protest is not yet over," Rebaldo declared.
"There is no truth to the reports that the electoral protest is over. In fact, my lawyer informed me last week that both camps were photocopying the ballots contested and a decision has not been reached by the court," Rebaldo said over DYRU Super Radyo, Kalibo.
Rebaldo, who got 14,098 votes against Lachica’s 14,014 – or a margin of 84 votes after the count, debunked claims that his opponent Lachica won the revision of ballot.
"To ease tension in the court, I refrained from attending right from the start the revision of ballots. I fully trust my lawyers to handle the protest. At all times, we respect the law to find out and determine the will of the electorate," Rebaldo said.
Rebaldo, now in his second term as mayor, also said he will seek reelection next year if his barangay leaders ask him. Regional Trial Court Judge Eustaquio Terencio of Branch 8 resumed early this year the revision of ballots after the Commission on Election (Comelec) En Banc affirmed the First Division resolution reversing his Order dated August 23, 2004.
Rebaldo, who ran under the ruling local party Tibyog it Akean, was declared by Comelec as winner with 14,101 votes compared to Lachica’s 14,020 or a slim margin of 81 votes on May 10, 2004 local elections. /MP
Two weeks later, Lachica filed an election protest. On May 31, 2004, Rebaldo filed his counter-protest and motion to dismiss Lachica’s protest.
On June 6, 2004, Terencio denied Lachica’s Motion for Leave of Court to Amend Answer to Counter Protest. In the course of the revision of ballots, Lachica filed a motion to withdraw his protest citing his lack of finances to continue the recounting.
Terencio granted his motion in its Order dated July 9, 2004. Three days later, the presiding judge granted Lachica’s motion to withdraw his deposit.
But on July 23, 2004, Lachica filed a motion to lift the order of dismissal of protest. Rebaldo, arguing that the motion was filed out of time, opposed Lachica’s motion. Terencio denied the motion of Lachica on August 23, 2004, saying, the court lost jurisdiction to entertain the motion and his electoral protest against Rebaldo.
Lachica then asked the Comelec to reverse the assailed Order of the trial court, which the First Division in its resolution dated February 11, 2005 ordered Terencio to resume proceedings and resolve the election protest on the merits with dispatch.
Comelec said the contested July 9, 2004 Order was issued without hearing, adding that the trial court should realize that the case involves public interest and thus goes beyond the personal interests of the contending parties. /MP mailto:madyaas_pen@yahoo.com