The camp of Silay mayoral candidate Jose "Oti" Montelibano is now waiting for the Commission on Elections office in Silay City to transport the ballot boxes to the central office in Manila for the start of the revision of the 311 protested precincts during the May 2004 elections.

Montelibano is protesting the election and proclamation of Silay Mayor Carlo Gamban on grounds of massive vote-padding, misappreciation and misreading of votes, and substitution of voters, among others.

He had also sought the recount, revision and appreciation of ballots, and for the Comelec to annul and set aside the proclamation of Gamban and declare him as the duly elected mayor of Silay.

Montelibano's lawyer, George Erwin Garcia, said yesterday his client will shoulder the cost of transporting the ballot boxes to Manila.

He said that new election rules for local positions provide that revisions will be held at the COMELEC central office.

The COMELEC First Division, in its Feb. 22, 2006 resolution, directed Montelibano to deposit P286,183 to defray expenses for the revision of the protested precincts and other incidental expenses.

Both Montelibano and Gamban were also directed to submit a pool consisting of at least six persons of their respective revisors and alternate revisors plus one supervising revisor and one alternate supervising revisor for approval by the COMELEC.

Montelibano was also ordered to coordinate with the Silay election officer and deposit with him/her the necessary amount needed in the collection, inventory and transmittal of all ballot boxes.

The election officer, meanwhile, was directed to coordinate with the Silay city treasurer upon prior notice sent to the parties or their counsels, gather, conduct a physical inventory and deliver the ballot boxes of all protested precincts to the COMELEC main office;

Prepare an inventory list in three copies of the contested ballot boxes and submit it to the contested ballot box custodian of the COMELEC at Intramuros, Manila during the turnover of the custody; and,

Coordinate with the clerk of the COMELEC First Division, informing the Commission as to the expected date of arrival of the ballot boxes and with the Silay police chief, who shall provide at least five police security escorts in the transport of the ballot boxes.*NLG

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