Rama's protest 'pure imagination' – Archival

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CEBU CITY — Mayor-elect Nestor Archival Sr. brushed aside the election protest filed by former mayor Michael Rama, calling it baseless and a product of "pure imagination."

INCOMING CEBU CITY MAYOR Nestor Archival attends his first press conference on May 20 after winning the mayoral race in Cebu City, during which he thanked the Cebuanos for their trust, vows to lead with transparency and accountability, while brushing aside the election protest filed by Michael Rama before the Commission on Elections in Manila. PHOTO BY KAISER JAN FUENTES

Speaking to reporters shortly after Rama filed the protest before the Commission on Elections (Comelec), Archival said he had no reason to be concerned.

Archival, who is currently a sitting councilor, emphasized that the people already made their choice through the May 2025 automated polls.

"Basically, it's all imagination. It's Mike's imagination. The people of Cebu have already given their acknowledgment that I am the rightful one," he said.

Rama, who landed third in the race with 120,124 votes, behind Archival's 256,197 and outgoing Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia's 176,967, filed an election protest before the Comelec in Manila.

He is seeking to invalidate the automated election results and push for a manual recount, claiming several voters reported discrepancies between their chosen candidates and those that appeared on their printed ballot receipts.

He believes the automated counting machines (ACMs) used in the May 12 elections were defective, and that vote tallies showed "suspicious patterns" between the city's north and south districts.

His legal team is now preparing motions to challenge what he described as an unreliable electoral process.

Archival has brushed off the protest, saying the outcome of the election was a clear expression of the people's will.

The mayor-elect said he is more focused on governance and preparing for his official assumption of office than entertaining allegations he believes are baseless.

He pointed out that even Garcia, who placed second, did not raise concerns over the results, suggesting that Rama's complaint lacked broad support.

Archival advised Rama to consider running again in the next election cycle if he truly wants another shot at public office.

"My appeal to the mayor is, let's just face off in the next election so this will finally stop," he said.

He viewed the protest as part of a political strategy rather than a genuine attempt to uphold electoral integrity.

Still, Archival expressed readiness to address the matter through appropriate legal channels.

He said his team will face the protest head-on.

He remains confident that the protest will not prosper.

Garcia was not caught off guard by Rama's actions. He noted that Rama has yet to concede and seemed determined to question the outcome.

But for the outgoing mayor, there is no point in prolonging the election discourse when there are more pressing concerns in the city.

He has not yet received a copy of the protest but acknowledged Rama's right to seek legal remedies.

At the same time, he underscored how tedious election protests can be, often taking years before being resolved.

Garcia reiterated his call to move forward, urging local leaders to set aside political differences for the sake of Cebu City's development.

"If there were really any irregularities involved in the elections, then your remedy is an election protest. But we all know that it will take forever. Let's just focus on improving and building Cebu City rather than wasting our effort and time on the election protest," he said.

Garcia added that his own experience at the polls was seamless, casting doubt on claims of defective voting machines.

He recalled that the voting process was smooth, with no delays or irregularities, at least from his perspective. That contrast, he said, may explain the different reactions among candidates.

Rama, however, has remained steadfast. He has repeatedly insisted that his protest is not about being a sore loser but about ensuring transparency and accountability in the electoral process.

For him, the integrity of the system must be upheld, especially when irregularities, no matter how minor, are reported.

We need to open the machines and look at the real results," he declared in an earlier press conference, vowing to pursue the matter regardless of political backlash.