Coin toss settles rare tie at Philippine election

Demanding fairness: Pro-transparency protesters holding a rally near the Philippine International Convention Center in Manila, where the Commission on Elections tallies votes. —AFP

MANILA: Philippine election officials settled a rare tie in a mayoral race by tossing a coin.

They proclaimed Sue Cudilla the new mayor of the town of Araceli in western Palawan province on Friday after she won a best-of-three coin flip by picking tails.

Both Cudilla, a former mayor, and her rival, incumbent Noel Beronio, received 3,495 votes in Monday’s election.

They agreed to the classic tie-breaker, which officials said is acceptable although local rules specify the drawing of lots.

Elections Commissioner Luie Tito Guia said a coin toss was also used to settle another freak mayoral tie in 2016.

“I’m praying very hard that the will expressed by the people will always be accepted,” Guia said by telephone.

More than 43,500 candidates vied for about 18,000 congressional and local posts, including 81 governors, 1,634 mayors and more than 13,500 city and town councillors in 81 provinces in Monday’s elections in the Philippines, one of Asia’s most boisterous democracies. — AP