DINALUPIHAN, Bataan- Defeated congressional candidate Felicito “Tong” Payumo on Wednesday announced that he is going to file an electoral protest based on the outcome of the May 13 elections that he described “as statistically improbable, if not impossible.”
The former chairman of the Bases Conversion Development Authority who sought Bataan’s first district congressional post, said other local candidates will be filing their own protests.
“It is plain and simple as sourgraping,” said Gov. Enrique Garcia, congressman-elect in the second district.
He even advised Tong to file his protest against the voting results in Dinalupihan, hometown of the Payumos where the elder Payumo himself, his son Tonito and nephews Joel and Jojo Payumo all lost.
Harvard graduate Tonito in his first try failed to get a seat in the five-member provincial Board in the first district. Joel, mayor of Dinalupihan, lost to Rep. Albert Garcia in the gubernatorial race. Jojo, brother of Joel and former mayor, was defeated by Gila Garcia.
Albert and Gila are children of the elder Garcia.
“Magastos ang protesta kaya sa Dinalupihan na muna niya subukan. Natalo na si Tong ni Congressman Herminia Roman noong 2004 at return bout na lamang ito ngayon. Ang sinasabing hindi kapani-paniwala ang resulta ng eleksiyon baka pwede pang sabihin sa first time pero second time na pagkatalo na ito,” Garcia said.
“Ang pagkatalo nila hindi lamang ‘landscape’ kundi tidal wave pa,” Garcia said in jest, adding, “nagrereklamo siyang hocus pocus, magreklamo siya direkta kay chairman Sixto Brillantes.”
Payumo, former Liberal Party chairman in Central Luzon, ran under the Nationalist People’s Coalition, leaving his rival re-electionist Rep. Herminia Roman with the LP.
The Provincial Board of Canvassers had proclaimed Roman as winner in the May 13 elections with 93,836 votes as against Payumo’s 64,348.
“The election results showed a consistent votes share pattern of 55 per cent – 45% in three municipalities and 60 – 40% in three other municipalities in favor of my opponent,” he said.
He provided the following percentage voting results: In Abucay, Roman got 55.42% while Payumo had 44.58%; Morong, Roman – 55.85%, Payumo – 44.15% and Orani, Roman – 56.55%, Payumo – 43.45%.
In Hermosa, Roman – 62.88%, Payumo – 37.12%; Samal, Roman -61.24%, Payumo – 38.76% and Dinalupihan, Roman – 61.17%, Payumo – 38.83%.
“We find this statistically improbable, if not impossible! I was informed that on the Bayes Theorem System, the chances it will happen is only .003 per cent but it happened,” Payumo said.
He said this was based on the voter’s turn-out of 84% that he considered surprising. He said that previous elections registered only 60-63% turn-out.
Payumo also cited other results that he found startling like the wipeout of the complete slate of his nephew Jojo Payumo who was defeated by Gila Garcia in the mayoral race in Dinalupihan.
The Payumos are natives of Dinalupihan and had political control of the town for many decades. Gila of Balanga City established residence in the municipality.
“Such complete shut out, whether incumbent administration ticket or opposition has never happened before,” he said.
He found unbelievable the failed bid of three-termer vice mayor Leony Cruz to get a seat in the eight-member sangguniang bayan and the loss of vice mayoral bet Bitoy Bajada in his own barangay of Naparing and Luakan where Payumo said used to win landslides in past elections.
Payumo also found unlikely the loss of his son. Tonito was the only candidate from Dinalupihan, one of the most vote-rich towns in Bataan.
The former three-term congressman could not also understand why he and Joel Payumo almost got the same number of votes in their town. He said that he was supported by the Iglesia ni Cristo while his nephew was not.
