Zambales mayor protests ouster

The mayor of Castillejos, Zambales decried yesterday the decision of a judge in their area, declaring her rival as winner in an election protest.

Castillejos Mayor Wilma Billman’s office was padlocked, telephone lines and electricity were cut off, making it impossible for her to dispense her duties as mayor of Castillejos.

This situation arose after Judge Eliodoro Ubadias of Branch 72 of the Olongapo City Regional Trial Court deducted 1,409 from Billman’s votes and declared her political rival Enrique Magsaysay winner in the 2001 mayoral race in Castillejos.

In a petition filed with the Commission on Elections (Comelec), Billman’s counsel argued that Ubadias’ decision was "contrary to law, the evidence and applicable jurisprudence."

The petition also claimed that the judge issued his decision with "grave abuse of discretion amounting to or in excess of jurisdiction."

The petition said it was only in the re-examination of the ballots cast in favor of Billman that Ubadias interpreted "inconsequential" marking on the ballots as defects and declared them as "marked" or "rejected." — Sandy Araneta