The Recount:Truth and Consequence

“IN THIS species of controversy involving the determination of the true will of the electorate, time is indeed of paramount importance—second to none perhaps, except the genuine will of the majority. To be sure, an election controversy … should be resolved with utmost dispatch, precedence and regard to due process…
“The term of an elective office is short. There is the contestant’s personal stake which generates feuds and discords. Above all is the public interest. A title to public elective office must not be left long under a cloud. The efficiency of public administration should not be impaired…
“It is thus understandable why pitfalls that may retard the determination of election contests should be avoided. Courts should heed the imperative need for dispatch.”
Thus the Supreme Court gave the go-ahead for a recount of votes in the 2007 gubernatorial race in Pampanga.
The tribunal also ruled that the Commission on Elections (Comelec) did not abuse its authority when its second division ordered a vote recount on July 23, 2007, prompted by a protest filed by Board Member Lilia “Baby” Pineda who “lost” to Panlilio in the count by a slim margin of 1,147 votes.
In her protest, Pineda, said ballots had been misread against her favor, notably the “Nanay Baby” cast for her, and that the Panlilio camp allegedly resorted to vote-padding and vote-shaving – that’s dagdag-bawas – and outright vote-buying.
“A welcome development, a vindication for Madame Baby, albeit too late in the day.”
So said Vice Gov. Joseller Guiao, Pineda’s running mate in 2007.
“I feel that it’s a little late in coming. It should have been earlier. I really feel that Madame Baby (Pineda) won in that election,” Guiao averred, adding,“I believe that due process should have been allowed to take its proper course without intervention.”
Without intervention?
Already, one Ernesto Francisco, purportedly one of Panlilio’s lawyers is already sizzling: “We will definitely file a motion for reconsideration and oppose every move to proceed with the recount pending resolution of the said motion.”
We have long been led to believe that the “miracle” of Panlilio’s victory in the gubernatorial polls was an intervention from God Herself. So what is there to be afraid of in a recount?
If God is with Panlilio, who can be against him? To paraphrase the Good Book.
The Truth will be out in the recount. That Panlilio’s victory was ordained by a different god.
Now, we go to the realm of the possible.
What if – God, not Panlilio’s god -- willed the recount to Nanay Baby’s triumph?
Would that make Panlilio a usurper, a presumptive governor, a fake? What of the time he spent at the Capitol, of the salary he drew, of the orders and directives he issued? Yeah, what of his dismissal of provincial engineer Jay Macatuno, of his “illegal” transfer of Dr. Eddie Ponio, of his suspension of social welfare doyen Luchie Gutierrez?
And what of Atty. Vivian Dabu? What about her?
With less than a year left in this term, ending on June 30, 2010, what is there left for Governor Lilia Pineda to do?
To re-elect, most obviously, her vindication an impetus to resume her political life and service to her people.
So what of Vice Gov. Yeng’s announced plan for the governorship?
To the backburner, most probably.