MINDANAO DAILY T H E P U RV E YO R O F T R U T H , J U S T I C E , A N D D E V E LO P M E N T
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Comelec orders inventory of ballots in first district Volume VI, No. 187
Website: www.mindanaodailynews.com
Monday
January 16, 2017
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By MARK FRANCISCO, Correspondent
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AGAYAN de Oro City--Commission on Elections (Comelec) officer Gina Sabio implemented Saturday a House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal (HRET) directive ordering the inventory of all ballots from the first legislative district of Cagayan de Oro that were used in the 2016 election.
The ballots in questions were the ones cited in the election protest filed by former Councilor Lourdes Candy Darimbang, who lost to reelected Rep. Rolando Uy in the congressional race in the first district. Under law, the ballots were kept by the City Treasurer’s Office which stored it at the basement of the City Tourism Hall since May last year. During the opening of the two rooms housing the ballots, the camp of Darimbang was dismayed that there were a lot of ballot boxes that were not properly sealed by Comelec in the aftermath of the May 10, 2016 election. Darimbang’s lawyer Anthony Ponce de Leon said that they will note all their observations and file them in an affidavit before the HRET which is chaired by Supreme Court Associate Justice Presibetero Velasco Jr. On November 8, Velasco executed a directive for Comelec “to take immediate steps to take integrity of the ballot boxes” involving 204 precincts from the first ELECTION PROTEST. Former Councilor Lourdes Candy Darimbang is dwarfed by several ballot boxes con- district.
taining the election returns that she protested after she lost to reelected Rep. Rolando Uy in 2016. Photo by Mark Francisco for Mindanao Daily
Gunmen face raps
KIDAPAWAN City––Police on Friday filed charges of direct assault with murder against Esmael Nasser, the leader of an armed group that stormed the North Cotabato District Jail (NCDJ) and set free 158 inmates last January 5, police said Saturday. North Cotabato Police director, Sr. Supt. Emmanuel Peralta, said 19 followers of Nasser, alias Commander Derbi, were also included in the charge sheet filed before the Kidapawan City Prosecution Office. Peralta said empty cartridges from M-14 Armalite rifles were recovered in the thickly forested vicinity of the jail, particularly in Sitio Nazareth, Barangay Amas and Sitio Centro, Barangay East Patadon, Matalam, North Cotabato. The suspects remain at large. Speaking to a radio station last Thursday, Nasser The fraternal Order of Eagles national president Kuya Louie Ceniza administers the ceremonial admitted that he led turn over of leadership of the NMR1 outgoing Governor Kuya Maximo Dondon Allorin to the See gunmen, page A11 incoming Governor Kuya Anjun Gomez. Mindanao Daily photo
See orders, page A11
Korean, Filipino sailors released from captivity in Sulu ZAMBOANGA City--Two sailors, including a foreigner, were released on Saturday by the Abu Sayyaf bandits in the hinterlands of Sulu, the military announced Saturday. Maj. Filemon Tan, Jr., Western Mindanao Comm a n d ( We s t m i n c o m ) spokesman, identified the freed hostages as South Korean Park Chulhong, the skipper of the Koreanflagged heavy load carrier M/V Dongbang Giant 2; and, Glenn Alindajao, a Filipino seafarer. Tan said Chulhong and Alindajao “were See SAILORS, page A11
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