By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner Rowena Guanzon assured the complaint filed by Joselito Malabor, the incumbent Isabela mayor who lost his reelection bid to Dr. Irene Consunji Montilla in last month’s midterm elections, will be given priority should it reach the Comelec main office.
Based on the most recent election day returns, Malabor lost by 13,892 votes to 13,844, a difference of 48 votes. However, Guanzon noted, the Comelec can only issue a temporary restraining order if the lead of a winning candidate is less than 10 votes.
Earlier, Atty. Jose Max Ortiz, Malabor’s legal counsel claimed the initial recount found Consunji Montilla’s lead had dwindled to five.
He added, the recount will resume next week.
Meanwhile, Atty. Jam Angudong, legal counsel for Consunji-Montilla, called on individuals to not “pre-empt” the result in an effort to avoid escalating tensions between the two parties./DGB, WDJ