May 17, 2015, 11:21 a.m. – THE CENTRAL Commission on
Elections (Comelec) officially proclaimed the new set of student council
officers for the College of Nursing last May 6, after junking cases filed
against the majority of the winning candidates.
Binuklod ng Isip, Sipag, at Galing (BISIG) party took seven
out of eight council posts except for the presidency, which went to independent
candidate Tristan Viktor Santos.
Santos won 586 votes (50 percent), beating BISIG
presidential bet Cristina Morabe, who obtained 441 votes.
Juan Paulo Hidalgo (BISIG) is the new vice president after
winning 624 votes, higher than the 335 votes obtained by Clarisse Jamiel
Geronimo (independent).
Marielle Hernandez (BISIG) won the post of secretary with
543 votes, beating Nerissa Urbano (independent) who got 398 votes. The position
of assistant secretary went to Anna-Teressa Mutuc (BISIG), who ran unopposed
and got 711 votes.
Florian Maey Ricafort (BISIG), lone candidate for treasurer,
also won with 755 votes. John Ringgo Montaus (BISIG) won as assistant treasurer
with 693 votes. Paul Julius Simbulan (BISIG), another unopposed candidate, got
the auditor post with 645 votes.
The new Nursing public relations officer is Harvey Ross
Gonzales (BISIG), who won 463 votes, beating independent candidates Gabriel
John David Vargas (331 votes) and John Angelo Gabrillo (187 votes).
During the proclamation of winners of central and local
student council posts last April 17 at the Plaza Mayor, the Nursing Student
Council was excluded due to complaints
filed by the Nursing Comelec against BISIG party for alleged violations of the
Election Code, and a petition seeking the party’s disqualification.
The Central Comelec assumed jurisdiction and dismissed the
complaints and petition filed against BISIG on the grounds that the Nursing
Comelec did not follow due process.
The Central Comelec ordered the proclamation of all winning
candidates on or before May 4. However, another set of complaints was filed by
independent candidates against BISIG party on the same date.
But Central Comelec Legal Division Head James Ballecer said
they deemed the pending cases null and void since these were filed past the
election period and the academic year was
coming to a close.
“There is no sense in pushing through with the resolutions
because they would not be able to penalize the candidates this year,” he
said.
The winners were announced last May 6 through the college’s
public announcement system. The turnover ceremony was held on May 11. Danielle
Ann F. Gabriel
