The town mayor of Araceli, who won through a toss coin during the 2019 mayoral race, was “confident to be favored” in an election protest filed by the losing party.
Mayor Sue Cudilla confirmed Tuesday that the hearing for the election protest has concluded pointing out that the decision was yet to be rendered on March 3.
“Ayoko muna pangunahan ‘yong korte pero na-klaro na wala namang napatunayang irregularity so very confident naman kami na magfa-favor ang decision sa amin. Sa ngayon, naghihintay kami on what the decision would be on March 3,” she said.
Former mayor Noel Beronio filed an election protest on the ground of “anomaly” on the decrypted ballots from Barangays Taluto and Talayawan.
Regional representatives from the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) examined the ballots and confirmed that the votes tallied the same on the election returns.
“Na-check and nag-tally naman po lahat at so far, walang irregularities na nakita,” Cudilla added.
Former mayor Beronio and then-challenger Cudilla received the same number of votes, 3,495, as the official tally concluded during the May 2019 local elections.
The board canvassers ordered to set the deadlock through a toss coin which was subsequently won by Cudilla in a three out of three sets she referred to as “will of God”
