- BERT BAYORAN
The Special Provincial Board of Canvassers (SPBOC) of Negros Oriental has proclaimed Roel Ragay Degamo as the winning candidate and duly elected governor of Negros Oriental.
The SPBOC, chaired by Atty. John Rex Laudiangco, with Atty. Genesis Gatdula as vice chairperson and director Celia Romero as member, convened Monday, Oct. 3, at the Comelec central office in Intramuros, Manila and was ordered by the Commission En Banc to annul the proclamation of Henry Pryde Teves as Negros Oriental governor.
They were also ordered to credit the votes of Grego Degamo in favor of Roel Ragay Degamo, amend or correct the Certificate of Canvass of Votes and Proclamation for the Provincial Governor of Negros Oriental, based on the Amended Statement of Votes, and proclaim the candidate who obtained the highest number of votes.
Grego Degamo, whose real name is Grego Gaudia, used the name “Ruel Degamo” in the ballots, and got 49,039 votes. This prompted the re-electionist governor to file a petition to transfer the votes garnered by his almost namesake to him.
Roel Ragay Degamo obtained 331,726 votes, Teves got 301,319 votes, and Doc Mark Macias with 45,454 votes, SPBOC records showed.
“Finally, justice is served,” Degamo said in his Facebook post, as he thanked his supporters in Negros Oriental./GB
