Baricuatro pursues the revocation of Garcia's protest filing
Doble whammy for Cebu's upcoming governor Pamela Baricuatro! Despite an election protest filed by outgoing Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, Baricuatro's transition team, led by lawyer Edmund Lao, is ready to face the challenge head-on. Garcia, claiming technical malfunctions in the automated counting machines, has challenged the results of more than 4,100 precincts across Cebu, alleging that votes meant for her were counted in favor of Baricuatro.
However, Baricuatro's team, composed of lawyers from Metro Manila, is prepped and eager to dismiss the protest as baseless. They argue that Baricuatro had no capacity or influence to orchestrate the maneuvering of votes. Lao, in an interview, called Garcia's protest an "unwarranted and unfounded case."
On June 10, ComeleC served summons at Baricuatro's residence, giving her team five days to file a response. The deadline for submission of the answer is June 16, 2025, and Baricuatro's lawyers are ready and raring to go.
Nevertheless, Lao kept mum on further details, fearing pre-empting the case. However, he did describe Baricuatro's legal team as fully equipped to take on the case.
This legal battle is not expected to delay Baricuatro's assumption of office on June 30, 2025. In an earlier statement, Baricuatro herself called Garcia's protest politically motivated with no basis whatsoever.
Meanwhile, tension between the two administrations extends to the turnover of key documents as Baricuatro accused Garcia of being uncooperative in the process. Garcia, however, maintains that existing guidelines do not mandate the turnover of documents before the turnover of responsibilities.
Lao responded by appealing to transparency and avoiding disruption, stressing that it's crucial to facilitate meetings and access to crucial documents for a smooth transition. "I will emphasize and appeal that these are public documents and the public has the right to transparency and most importantly, to avoid disruption," Lao said.
Sounds like this switch is going to be a hot one! Stay tuned as we keep an eye on this political chess match. 🔥🔥🔥
- Despite the election protest filed by outgoing Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, Pamela Baricuatro's legal team from Metro Manila, led by Edmund Lao, is confident that they can dismiss the protest as baseless.
- The legal battle over Baricuatro's election victory is not expected to delay her assumption of office on June 30, 2025, but tension between the two administrations extends to the turnover of key documents.
- Baricuatra's legal team, prepared to address policy-and-legislation concerns and general-news matters, is emphasizing transparency and urging for the turnover of public documents to avoid disruption during the transition.
