Court declares new Cebu town mayor

A local court has declared Daphne Lagon as the duly elected mayor of Tuburan town in Cebu.

In a decision promulgated yesterday, Toledo City Regional Trial Court Branch 59 Judge Hermes Montero set aside the proclamation of Democrito Diamante Jr. by the municipal board of canvassers.

Lagon filed an election protest after results showed she garnered only 17,094 votes compared to Diamante’s 17,140.

The court said the examination and appreciation of the contested ballots showed that Lagon garnered 17,220 votes while Diamante garnered 17,127.

“Lagon obtained the plurality of the valid votes cast for the position of municipal mayor of… Tuburan…during the national and local elections on May 9, 2016 by a margin of 93 votes over… Diamante,” the court ruling read.

Diamante immediately filed a motion for reconsideration.

Lagon’s counsel Delon Richel Ramon Urot for his part, said they would file a motion for execution of the court decision on Monday.

Poll officials said it is still a long and tedious process before any party could claim victory, noting the court ruling could still be appealed before the Commission on Elections and the Supreme Court.