CHANGE IN LEADERSHIP. Bacolod City mayor-elect Alfredo Benitez (left) and reelected Lone District Rep. Greg Gasataya flash the sign for "change" with a supporter during a campaign sortie for the May 9 elections. On Tuesday night (May 24, 2022), Benitez said he is hitting the ground running even as defeated incumbent Mayor Evelio Leonardia filed a protest against his victory before the Commission on Elections central office on May 20. (Photo from Albee Benitez Facebook page)
BACOLOD CITY – Mayor-elect Alfredo Benitez said on Tuesday night it is time to "buckle down" to work even as defeated Mayor Evelio Leonardia has formally protested his victory before the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
"The people of Bacolod have spoken and it is time to move on and buckle down to work," he said in a statement.
Benitez said the complaint is "baseless and frivolous" and "another desperate move of one who refuses to accept the truth".
On Tuesday afternoon, Leonardia’s spokesperson Chris Sorongon said the complaint, filed before the Comelec central office on May 20, has been docketed as Election Protest Case No. 008-2022.
Leonardia, who lost his bid for a third and final term, is seeking a manual recount of the votes in all 450 clustered precincts and asked the Comelec to declare "failure of elections" and conduct special polls due to alleged massive vote-buying and the presence of fake voters.
Benitez, however, dismissed the claims, saying "the conduct of the 2022 elections was generally peaceful, credible and orderly".
"No documented and concrete evidence has been shown to prove any irregularities at the voting precincts," he added.
Benitez said he believes "such electoral protest is an exercise of futility, and will surely be dismissed".
In a Facebook post on Tuesday night, the incoming mayor said he is "hitting the ground running".
He uploaded a photo of him meeting with his party mates, including reelected Lone District Rep. Greg Gasataya and some of those who won seats in the City Council.
"Consulting with my team which programs to prioritize in Bacolod," Benitez said.
A former congressman of Negros Occidental's third district, Benitez obtained 171,893 votes while Leonardia garnered 107,447 votes in the May 9 elections. (PNA)
