By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga
Former Bacolod City Vice Mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson yesterday expressed frustration over the recent decision by the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal (HRET) denying his motion for reconsideration regarding a previous poll protest dismissal against his opponent, Bacolod City Lone District Representative Greg Gasataya.
“I am very frustrated [by] the HRET decision, as well as the whole process,” Sayson said. “The first time we submitted our complaint, they said there was probable cause to open ballot boxes because they saw that 27,000 votes were not counted.”
The former city official said, “the fact that 27,000 did not vote for congressman” is “very anomalous, which is tantamount to declaring the whole election as a failure.”
According to HRET Resolution No.18-042, the motion was denied on lack of merit.
The resolution pointed out there was no new relevant matter raised that would justify the reversal of the tribunal’s resolution issued last November.
According to the earlier decision, signed by HRET chairperson, Supreme Court Associate Judge Presbitero Velasco, Jr., the allegations of vote buying and the “questionable mathematical disparity of votes” failed to establish a cause of action.
“At first, they were okay, but later they changed their decision,” Sayson stated. “That would have been a chance to check on the validity of the vote-counting machines used for [the] elections.”
“Gasataya should have been a catalyst for reform in the automated elections,” he added.
Sayson said, if the incumbent congressman did not stop the opening of ballot boxes, it would have “once and for all” settled the issue surrounding the 27,000 votes.
“They do not want that to happen,” he asserted. “They did everything they can, resulting in the HRET decision.”
In response to claims the congressman has no control over the vote-counting machines, Sayson said, “He should have allowed the boxes to be opened, why block it?”
“What are you trying to hide that you don’t want it to be opened?” the former vice mayor asked. “He will not pay for it, it will be me, the complainant.”
Sayson affirmed he would no longer file a motion for reconsideration before the Supreme Court, as it would already be moot and academic as it is nearing the next elections.
Gasataya beat Sayson in the 2016 congressional race by a margin of 1,036 votes./DGB, WDJ