Gwen seeks poll recount, ‘honest will of the people’

OUTGOING Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia has contested the results of more than 4,100 clustered precincts in the province after the midterm elections, citing that the outcome was not the “honest will of the people.”

Garcia announced her move during a meeting on Tuesday, June 3, 2025, with mayors from 50 towns and component cities at the Social Hall of the Provincial Capitol in uptown Cebu City.

A local election official said if the recount proceeds, Garcia’s camp has to spend millions on it.

In the meeting, Garcia said she does not blame local officials for her opponent’s “questionable victory,” referring to Gov.-elect Pamela Baricuatro.

Garcia said that technical and software evidence indicates votes meant for her were registered for Baricuatro, prompting her to file an election protest with the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

“As the results started coming in, fed by Comelec servers, I do know that from the first, second, third, fourth, fifth [and] sixth districts, our mayors started shaking their heads in disbelief. And this included, as well, our barangay kapitans (captains). More so, mismo ang mga Sugbuanon kay dili makatuo sa migawas nga resulta (even the Cebuanos could not believe the result that came out),” Garcia said.

“Thereafter, a lot of evidence has surfaced. The latest of which, there is now growing proof that the votes intended for Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, in fact, were credited to my opponent,” she added.

In the midterm elections last May 12, Garcia lost her reelection bid for a third straight term (sixth overall), garnering 765,051 votes against Baricuatro’s 1,107,924 — a margin of 342,873 votes.

Garcia urged the Comelec to “act with dispatch on this electoral protest.”

Despite the protest, she assured the incoming administration that the Provincial Government has billions of pesos in available funds.

“Overwhelming vote”

Edmund Lao, a lawyer who leads Baricuatro’s transition team, was surprised by Garcia’s electoral protest, considering the “overwhelming” vote difference.

He said Tuesday that their camp has not received a copy of the protest and will comment only after receiving it.

Also on Tuesday, Baricuatro made a courtesy call on the Senate as a “special guest” of Sen. Bong Go.

Senate President Chiz Escudero and other senators welcomed the incoming governor.

Baricuatro, a former flight attendant and philanthropist, ran under the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino. She will be the 25th governor of Cebu and the second woman elected to the position.

In a separate interview, Comelec 7 Director Francisco Pobe said Garcia’s protest may have been submitted to their central office within the 10-day deadline after the election.

He said Garcia’s camp may request a recount or nullification of results in certain precincts, but Baricuatro’s June 30 assumption as governor will proceed as she has been duly proclaimed.

Garcia’s camp may seek a temporary restraining order from the Supreme Court to halt the assumption.

Pobe added that the hearing may take time due to legal complexities, with both camps expected to scrutinize every document, witnesses and pieces of evidence.

Ballot boxes from 4,120 clustered precincts will be delivered to the Comelec Central Office for recount.

Garcia’s camp may need to pay P82 million to P103 million, at a rate of P20,000 to P25,000 per precinct.

Post-election meeting

During the meeting at the Capitol, Garcia reiterated she does not blame the mayors present for the gubernatorial results. Vice Gov.-elect Glenn Anthony Soco, Provincial Board members and officials from the Department of Education and Department of Agriculture were present.

Garcia reflected on her 2019 return as governor, noting she opted not to criticize political opponents from the prior administration, instead concentrating on her vision for the province.

She expressed dismay over the continuous attacks from the opposing camp despite the results, which led to her doubts about the election’s honesty and the decision to file a protest. / EHP