By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Newly-elected Isabela Mayor Irene Consunji Montilla said she welcomes the recount petition filed by incumbent Mayor Joselito Malabor.
In a radio interview, Montilla said she respects Malabor’s intentions, which he said were to clarify allegations surrounding the “double transmission” of votes.
Montilla beat Malabor by 13,892 votes to 13,844, a difference of 48 votes.
The newly-elected mayor, however, believes the results are accurate and there were no problems with the SD cards used by the vote counting machines.
She further assured town residents that Isabela’s leadership will not be affected by the petition.
Malabor assumed the seat after his predecessor, Enrique Montilla III, Consunji Montilla’s husband, passed away in 2017./DGB, WDJ