Incumbents Gov. Roel Degamo and Vice Gov. Dr. Edward Mark Macias have been re-elected into office in Monday’s polls, each having a margin of more than 100,000 votes over their closes rivals.
The Provincial Board of Canvassers headed by acting Provincial Election Supervisor Atty. Lionel Marco Castillano proclaimed the winning candidates Wednesday morning, even as the municipality of Jimalalud has yet to transmit its votes due to technical problems.
First to be proclaimed around 9:30 a.m. today was Vice Governor Macias, followed by Jocelyn Limkaichong, who won the congressional race in the 1st district of Negros Oriental, and re-electionist Board Member Jessica Villanueva.
Atty. Castillano explained that the proclamation came after their respective legal counsels filed motions to proclaim the candidates because of a “statistical improbability” that their votes will be negatively affected by the Jimalalud votes that have yet to be canvassed.
PBOC official records show that total votes earned by Governor Degamo except for Jimalalud was at 313,703 versus that of incumbent Rep. George Arnaiz of the 2nd district who got 204,052 votes.
Degamo (NUP) managed a 59.82 percent lead over Arnaiz, who garnered 38.91 percent of the votes canvassed, except for Jimalalud.
Jimalalud could not transmit its election returns to the PBOC because of problems with the Canvassing and Consolidation System wherein the laptop and the SD card were broken.
Jimalalud Election Officer Alan Yap had flown to the National Capital Region to obtain a contingency laptop for the CCS so that the Jimalalud votes can be transmitted, said Atty. Castillano.
The PBOC is awaiting the arrival of Governor Degamo so he can be officially proclaimed.
However, Atty. Castillano clarified that the PBOC cannot and will not adjourn unless the Jimalalud election results have been transmitted. (PNA/JFP)
