By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The camp of Talisay City mayoral bet Sheila Saratan clarified her poll protest against Mayor Neil Lizares was not junked, as initially reported in the June 22 issue of Watchmen Daily Journal, but rather elevated before the Commission on Elections (Comelec) first division to the Comelec en banc.
According to Saratan’s legal counsel, Atty. Dante Behemente, the required concurrence of at least two members of the Comelec first division was not met in the determination of “reasonable recovery,” or the ability for recounted ballots to change the overall result of the election.
He added, with a review of submitted documentation still pending, a case remains before the Comelec.
Behemente noted, in cases before the Comelec en banc, all seven commissioners and the chairman make the decision.
Saratan’s camp earlier expressed confidence in winning their protest against Lizares.
Lizares was declared the winner of the race in May of last year after garnering 28,440 votes against Saratan’s 21,119./WDJ