Court declares Marquez son as BF Homes chairman

MANILA, Philippines - A metropolitan trial court (MeTC) yesterday dismissed an election protest filed by a son of Parañaque City Mayor Florencio Bernabe against a son of former mayor Joey Marquez.

Judge Ramsay Domingo Pichay of MeTC Branch 78 affirmed Jeremy Marquez’s victory as barangay chairman of BF Homes by garnering 11,573 votes, or 2,651 votes more than that received by Juan Carlos Bernabe.

Bernabe did not show up in the promulgation despite the court’s notice. Marquez, for his part, said he “feels good” that a decision has already been rendered.

“This is the second time they filed a complaint against me. So, I’ve been there, done that,” Marquez told The STAR. His supporters cheered as the decision was read to them.

In a complaint dated Nov. 5, 2010, Bernabe sought to annul the proclamation of Marquez and asked for a “revision and recount” of votes from the barangay’s 129 clustered precincts.

Bernabe also alleged that special treatment “in terms of giving assistance” was given to known Marquez supporters, while many of his supporters could not find their names in the voters’ lists.

Bernabe also alleged that some “ballots with blank spaces in the line for punong barangay (barangay chief) were… read and counted in favor of Marquez.”