LINGAYEN – The congressional race in the Third District isn’t over till it’s over, it seems.

The legal team of candidate Gallant D. Soriano has filed a manifestation Friday evening to stop the issuance of the certificate of canvass from San Carlos City, Soriano’s bailiwick, alleging that the final tally of the Board of
Canvassers did not match the tally of votes received by Soriano as there was a difference of less than 3,000 votes from the reports of Soriano’s poll watchers.

Lawyer Eric Lazo said he is now studying all legal options to remedy the situation and ensure that the true will of the voters of the district is respected and implemented.

Citing numerous reports of terrorism, incidents of harassment and intimidation of their supporters, vote-buying, point shaving and bribery of election officers,

Soriano lawyers yesterday expressed serious doubts on the reliability of the results announced by the Provincial Board of Canvassers on the votes cast in the Third District of Pangasinan for congressman.

Lazo cited the case in Malasiqui where the election officer is facing criminal charges after he was caught and admitted in public that he opened two ballot boxes without the presence of poll watchers from all camps and inserted documents in the boxes that are believed to be fake election returns.

The ballot boxes opened by election registrar Bienvenido Azurin contained election returns from nine barangays in Malasiqui that are considered bailiwicks of Soriano and his winning mayoralty candidate Armando Domantay.

Lazo also cited reports that there was an attempt to bribe Winston Calugay, the election registrar of Bayambang town, who had clammed up and refused to talk about the report.
In Calasiao, the tally of votes by the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting and the Lingayen-based Provincial Election Monitoring and Action Center did not match the CoC as the vote of one candidate was padded by 3,000 votes.