By MB Online
The next mayor of Araceli, Palawan will be determined by a “coin toss” after the town’s two mayoral bets tied in the vote count.
(L-R) Araceli, Palawan former mayor Sue Cudilla and reelectionist Mayor Noel Beronio (PHOTOS COURTESY OF SUE CUDILLA / DSWD KALAHI-CIDSS / FACEBOOK / MANILA BULLETIN)
Reelectionist Noel Beronio (PDP-Laban) and former mayor Sue Cudilla (Partido Pagbabago ng Palawan) both garnered 3, 495 vote counts when the official tally concluded Thursday night.
According to the election code, the board of canvassers shall proceed to the “drawing of lots” in case of a tie or equal votes, and shall proclaim as elected the candidates who may be “favored by luck.”
The coin toss is set on Friday afternoon, according to reports.
In previous elections, Beronio and Cudilla were also rivals for the town’s chief executive post.
Cudilla defeated Beronio in 2013 before their fortunes were reversed in the 2016 elections.
Araceli is a fourth-class island municipality located northeast of mainland in Palawan with over 14,000 residents as of 2015 census.
In 2016, Joni Villanueva, sister of Senator Joel Villanueva, won the mayoralty race in Bocaue, Bulacan via coin toss.
Luck favored Joni in a best-of-five coin flips after equalizing with rival Jim Valerio with 16, 694 vote counts. #MatalinongBoto2019