Candidates toss coin to resolve poll

Manila: Two candidates in a northern mountain town broke a rare tie in last week's elections by tossing a coin, a refreshing show of sportsmanship in a country where poll disputes are often settled with violence, officials said yesterday.

After a count of last Monday's ballots, local elections officials discovered that Bryan Byrd Bellang and Benjamin Ngeteg had tied for the final of eight seats on the council in Bontoc town in Mountain province, elections supervisor Mary Umaming said.

"I asked them if they wanted to break the tie by tossing a coin or drawing lots, and somebody in the crowd wondered if I was cracking a joke," Umaming said.

"I said those options were in the rules, and they agreed to flip a coin," she added.

Bellang, who chose heads, won the toss, which was held on Tuesday in the local town hall. The candidates then sealed the agreement with a handshake.