Zamora files poll protest; claims Guia Gomez's lugaw stations used to buy votes

 

San Juan City Vice Mayor Francis Zamora on Wednesday said he will file an election protest against the proclamation of Mayor Guia Gomez as the winner in the recent elections, claiming his ertswhile ally massively bought votes to get herself reelected.

"Yung gabi bago ng halalan nagkalat yung mga lugaw station nila. Yung mga lugaw station nila, yun ang nagsilbi ng (vote) buying stations nila. Dito nagkapalitan ng pera at boto," Zamora told his supporters.

A report by GMA News reporter Mark Salazar quoted Zamora as saying he has witnesses that will support his complaint.

But Gomez said she also has evidence of Zamora participating in "massive vote-buying."

"It is up to them and for us to fight it out in court kung sino talaga ang nagkaroon ng massive vote buying, because their kind of vote buying is something na hindi ho namin kaya," Gomez said.

Gomez was proclaimed winner in the mayoralty race on the evening of May 9.

Gomez got 28,828 votes, while Zamora garnered 27,604 or a margin of 1,224.

Gomez — mother of the city's former mayor now senator JV Ejercito — said she will not be hosting a victory party due to the loss of a friendship and a divided city.

Zamora — son of San Juan City Rep. Ronnie Zamora who had served as executive secretary of President Joseph Estrada — was Gomez's vice mayor for two terms.

The elder Zamora got reelected.

Janella Ejercito-Estrada, daughter of Sen. Jose Jinggoy Estrada, won as vice mayor, beating Rolando Bernardo by more than 9,000 votes. — Jessica Bartolome, APG, GMA News