The Commission on Elections has granted the request for the recount of votes for the candidates for mayor and vice mayor of Himamaylan, Negros Occidental, in the May 14 polls in 289 precincts, Provincial Supervisor Jessie Suarez said yesterday.

The venue for the revision of ballots will be the COMELEC Division Office in Intramuros, Manila, he said.

The COMELEC First Division granted the recount based on motion filed by mayoralty candidate Alain Gatuslao against his aunt, Carmenia Bascon, who had been proclaimed the winning mayor in the May 12 polls.

Candidate for vice mayor Antonio Limsiaco also filed a similar petition for recount against his opponent Luz Bayot, who won the vice mayorship.

Bascon (KAMPI) won with 22,119 against Gatuslao (Lakas-CMD) with 17,581 votes; and Bayot was re-elected with 21,402 votes over Limsiaco with 14,330 votes.

Suarez said Bascon and Bayot will remain at their posts while the cases are being resolved.

COMELEC First Division commissioners Resurreccion Borra and Romeo Brawner ordered the Gatuslao and Limsiaco to deposit P209,812 each before the poll body's Cash Division to defray the expenses in the revision of votes in the 289 precincts and other incidental expenses, such as supplies and honoraria of the revision committees, and ballot box shortage fees.

Failure of the parties to comply with the order to deposit the amount will be grounds for dismissal of the protest, the commissioners added.

All expenses incurred in the transport of the ballot boxes from Himamaylan to the COMELEC main office in Manila will be shouldered by the parties who protested, as well as the expenses incurred by the provincial election supervisor and the security escorts.

Borra also ordered the substitution of Himamaylan Election Officer Katrina Trinio by Suarez in the inventory, collection and delivery of the contested ballot boxes.

Suarez said he was serving notices to the parties involved yesterday and calling for a meeting today.*CPG

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