Pam asked to answer Gwen’s election protest

Local

CEBU-governor elect Pamela Baricuatro has received a summon from the Commission on Elections (Comelec), instructing her to respond to the election protest filed by outgoing Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia.

The summon was delivered to Baricuatro’s residence in Pinamungajan town, Cebu.

In a phone interview on Wednesday, June 11, lawyer Edmund Lao, head of Baricuatro’s transition team, said the documents require the governor-elect to file a verified answer within five days.

Since the summon was served via courier and officially received on June 10, the five-day period began on June 11.

With the fifth day falling on Sunday, June 15, which is a non-working day, the deadline to submit the answer moved to Monday, June 16, according to Lao.

Lao confirmed that their legal team based in Manila is currently finalizing the verified answer to the election protest, with the aim of securing its dismissal.

He said Baricuatro has formed a separate legal team specifically focused on addressing the protest, allowing her transition team to proceed with preparations for the incoming administration without disruption.

Lao said one of the grounds raised in Garcia’s election protest is the alleged vote transfer from her to Baricuatro, which the latter's camp continues to deny.

He also shared that they are planning to hold a press conference after filing their official response, to address the public and provide further clarification on the matter.

Baricuatro's camp maintains that Garcia’s protest has no legal merit and that they are ready to defend the legitimacy of Baricuatro’s electoral victory in the May 2025 polls.

Garcia filed the election protest last June 3, contesting the outcome of the May 12 midterm polls in more than 4,100 precincts across Cebu province.

She alleged that several votes intended for her were erroneously counted in favor of Baricuatro due to a technical malfunction.

Baricuatro, in previous statements, described Garcia’s claims as baseless and politically motivated. She also criticized the outgoing governor for allegedly refusing to cooperate with the scheduled transition.

Baricuatro won the three-way gubernatorial race with over 1.1 million votes, defeating Garcia, who was seeking a third and final term and garnered more than 780,000 votes.

She is scheduled to assume office on June 30, in accordance with the Local Government Code.

Earlier, Comelec Central Visayas Director Atty. Francisco Pobe confirmed that Baricuatro's assumption of office will remain unaffected despite the ongoing electoral protest filed by Garcia.

Pobe Baricuatro’s proclamation remains valid and cannot be overturned unless a temporary restraining order is issued by the Supreme Court.

Garcia announced her protest in June already, but Pobe noted it may have been filed earlier at the Comelec main office in Manila.

Gubernatorial protests must be lodged with the central office’s Electoral Contests Adjudication Division within 10 days of proclamation.(MyTVCebu)