Lawmaker appeals to P-Noy to resolve Taguig poll case

MANILA, Philippines - Taguig Rep. Freddie Tiñga appealed to President Aquino yesterday to intervene in the implementation of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) order for ballot recount in the city.

In a statement, Tiñga said roadblocks and barricades at the city hall prevented Comelec officials from retrieving the ballot boxes for a recount.

The order is part of a resolution of the election protest filed by his father, former Supreme Court associate justice Dante Tiñga, against incumbent Taguig City Mayor Laarni Cayetano.

“It’s disappointing that we’re like passing through the hole of a needle just to implement Comelec process to resolve Justice Tiñga’s  case,” he said.

Last Monday, Comelec officials, led by National Capital Region director Jubil Surmieda failed to implement the retrieval order issued by the SC’s first division last Feb. 15, when they were prevented by people barricading the area from entering the city hall.

 Tiñga lamented the fact that this has already been the ninth retrieval order issued by Comelec since August 2010.

“Eighty election protests have been filed with Comelec from around the country and Taguig is the only one left that Comelec has yet to retrieve the ballot boxes. The Taguig case has been dragging for a year and nine months already,” he said.