Kaban ni D_BystandeR: PADAYON ANG KUMBATI TALI NI BISE MAYOR EDGAR UG JOY YOUNG

Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella could not be faulted for holding his position as the incumbent vice mayor right after he was proclaimed the winner in the 2013 election because he was just following how the Comelec did its uncontested proclamation . If it comes out later, as a result of the Comelec recount made in connection with the election protest filed by Tommy Osmena and Joy Young, which was later on withdrawn by them last June 8, 2015, and in which the Comelec has just recently announced that Joy Young garnered 238 votes as against Labella's 59 votes, thereby understood in any language as a winning number in favor of Joy Young, but only that it was not declared anymore as such by Comelec because they have already withdrawn their poll protest. But common sense would clearly point out to no other verdict but victory for Young. But that is now all water under the bridge as Young has already withdrawn his election protest against Labella. And besides, the remaining few months when the recount's result was announced prior to the next year's election points to the futility of the need to assume Young's post and can only be considered with negligible importance. But the fact remains that although not announced by the Comelec but people can still view it as a vindication to Joy Young who lost to Labgella in the early Comelec count but in the end his supporters and followers can still claim that their votes for Young was not all in vain because Young won that election no matter how late the truth was discovered in the poll recount. And this is the most important meaning of this late announcement made by the Comelec as carried by the leading newspapers because it clearly points out that if only the mistake was noticed earlier, Joy Young could have rightfully acted as the Vice Mayor of Cebu City instead of Labella.

Footnote: This comment came out in connection with a news item in The FREEMAN, entitled, "Labella: Comelec did not say Young won in 2013." It came out  on December 15, 2015.