Yaranon shrugs off recall move

BAGUIO CITY — Like a lion facing those out to slaughter him, 77-year-old Baguio City Mayor Braulio Yaranon merely laughed off a recall petition out to unseat him, flaunting it as just a walk in the park for him.

Yaranon, a former regional trial court judge in La Union and also a former Baguio official during the 1970s, said in jest that he is prepared for whatever will be the outcome of the petition.

Although begging not to comment on the petitioners’ claim of "loss of confidence" in his leadership, Yaranon said he would contest all the signatures.

"We will contest all the signatures because we all know that it is easy for a person to write down falsified names or others might have double registrations," he said.

Led by five city voters, some 42,000 supposed registered voters said they are exercising the power of recall against Yaranon for loss of confidence, citing Republic Act 7160 or the Local Government Code as basis for their move.

Maribelle Uminga, city officer of the Commission on Elections (Comelec), received last Tuesday the recall petition filed by Godofredo Cawaing, Francis Dagson, Silver Mabalot, Edmundo Gundran and Felicitas Arcido.

The petitioners claimed that Yaranon "has committed grave abuse of power in undertaking several acts, orders and declarations inimical and disadvantageous to the interest of the Baguio citizenry."

They further claimed that Yaranon’s style of leadership has failed "to inspire city employees and department heads to do their utmost best as a result of unclear, unstated and ill-conceived policy (directions) which have resulted in a bureaucracy of government workers who are demoralized, disappointed and leaderless."

In their 19-point complaint, they also claimed that Yaranon "had refused to dialogue with members of the city council which resulted in his failure to enact a workable Executive-Legislative Agenda."

They also alleged that Yaranon, among other things, has consistently failed to address the basic needs of city residents, particularly garbage disposal, water and light.

They claimed that Yaranon "showed no interest nor concern in properly addressing the worsening garbage problem (in the city)."

Yaranon, according to the petitioners, "has failed to check and reverse the decline of business and economic activities in the city."

Lawyer Nicasio Aliping, a former city councilor and legal counsel of the petitioners, said the recall petition has the form and substance to merit a thumbs-up from the Comelec en banc for recall polls not later than May this year.

If authenticated, the 42,000 signatures are more than enough for the required 15 percent (22,000) of the total number of registered voters in Baguio City (149,000) to pave the way for the recall process.

Yaranon said he has no doubt that the recall move is funded and engineered by his political foes out to drive him out of office to stop him from further exposing their alleged misdeeds.

"But it is okay. They are free to do what they want and I am free to do what I want," he said.

Already, there is talk as to who might slug it out against Yaranon in the recall polls. Former councilor Elmo Nevada has publicly signified his intention to run, and later Bernardo Vergara, whom Yaranon trounced in the 2004 elections by a wide margin, did, too.

Disgusted over what he alleged to be "institutionalized corruption," Rep. Mauricio Domogan last year even flaunted his plan to run against Yaranon "if he continues to level corruption charges against me in public."

Yaranon, however, seemed unperturbed, claiming that he has received reports that some barangay leaders, who support the recall move, have resorted to irregular tactics like enlisting fictitious persons or residents of other villages.

There were also reports that some signatories have been bribed, he said.

"So there really is a need to verify the authenticity of the signatures and the identities of those who signed," he said.

Last year, Yaranon said he would beat anyone in such recall polls, adding that his uncompromising anti-corruption stance would give him an edge over his opponents.

During the 2004 mayoral race, Yaranon garnered a 40,000-vote lead over then incumbent mayor Bernardo Vergara, who had served as congressman and mayor for nine years.

Time might just be on Yaranon’s side because the petitioners have up to the end of April to complete the recall process and get things going.

Based on election rules, no special polls can be held within one year from the schedule of a regular election. The next regular election is set in May 2007.

The Comelec en banc still has to decide on 30 other recall petitions across the country.

Another possible hitch is the appropriation for the recall elections once the Comelec gives the go-signal.

"Does the Comelec have money for it?" asked a Baguio lawyer, who requested anonymity.

Aliping, however, simply shrugged off the appropriation issue, saying it should not deter the Comelec from giving due course to their recall petition.