Recall move on vs Isabela mayor

SANTIAGO CITY — The proponents of the recall election against the mayor of this Isabela city were able to secure the required 13,000 signatories for the petition.

Lawyer Alfredo Dirige, a known political ally of former city mayor Jose Miranda, led other supporters of the recall move in filing the petition with the Commission on Elections here.

The poll body is now verifying the authenticity of the signatures supporting the move to recall Mayor Amelita Navarro.

The petition’s prime movers claimed that Navarro has lost their trust and confidence to govern the city’s more than 60,000 residents, allegedly due to graft and corruption, mismanagement and failure to deliver basic services.

Navarro, however, dismissed the charges against her as "baseless" and "unfounded," saying that those behind the recall move were those affected by her "pro-poor, pro-development and graft and corruption-free" programs.

"I am ready for the recall. I am not afraid to face anyone… for I am not hiding anything," she said.

Navarro said the recall proponents "could not accept their defeat" in last year’s elections," obviously referring to Miranda, whom she defeated.

"The people have spoken… I won overwhelmingly in the elections. The voice of the people is the voice of God. Those who (are working) for the recall petition should instead concentrate their efforts on helping our constituents, especially the poor," she said.

Miranda, who served as mayor here for more than 15 years, lost to Navarro, his perennial political rival, by more than 5,000 votes, almost the same margin when he defeated her during their first encounter in the 2001 elections.

Earlier, Miranda, founder of Kalikasan (Kalipunan ng mga Nagkakaisang mga Santiagueño), a local political party, denied having a direct hand in the recall move.

"I am only restating that it’s the people who want immediate change in the city leadership," he said.

Miranda, however, neither confirmed nor denied having thoughts of regaining the city leadership should the recall election be held.