Joni Villanueva wins coin toss for Bocaue mayoralty post

After three flips of a coin, Liberal party's Joni Villanueva was proclaimed winner in the mayoral race in Bocaue, Bulacan before noon Tuesday.

Deogracias Danao, election officer of Bocaue, initially scheduled the drawing of lots between Villanueva and independent candidate Kuya Jim Valerio, who both got 16,694 votes for the mayoral race.

The third candidate, Jonjon Santiago of the Nationalist People's Coalition, got 14,971 votes.

Under Commission on Elections' Resolution No. 10083 the drawing of lots should be done to break a tie between rivals in the elections.

“...the Board shall, after recording in its Minutes the fact of having candidates receiving the same number of votes for the position, immediately notify the said candidates to appear before the Board for the drawing of lots to break the tie. The drawing of lots should be conducted within one (1) hour after issuance of notice by the Board to the candidates concerned,” says the resolution.

In the 2013 elections, the mayoral race in San Teodoro, Oriental Mindoro was settled with a coin toss after two bets ended in a tie.

Danao initially scheduled the drawing of lots at 9 a.m., but Villanueva and Valerio failed to show up.

At 11 a.m., representatives of the two candidates showed up at the local Comelec office.

Instead of the drawing of lots, it was decided that the mayoral race be decided by a coin toss.

The camp of Villanueva chose tail while Valerio's camp chose head.

After three consecutive flips of the coin, Villanueva was proclaimed mayor.

She will replace her brother, incumbent Bocaue Mayor Eduardo Villanueva Jr.

Joni and Eduardo Jr. and Liberal Party Joel Villanueva are children of evangelist Eddie Villanueva.

Joel is currently included in the top 5 in the partial and unofficial tally for senatorial candidates. —report from Marisol Abdurahman/Kiersnerr Gerwin Tacadena/ALG, GMA News