SC orders status quo in Legazpi mayoral row

LEGAZPI CITY — The Supreme Court (SC) has ordered a status quo in the mayoral controversy hounding this capital city of Albay, giving a respite to the incumbent mayor who was unseated in a recent Commission on Elections (Comelec) ruling.

In a two-page status quo ante order, the SC en banc directed the Comelec and councilor Michael Imperial, whom the poll body had declared the winner in the 2004 elections, "to observe the status quo" prior to Comelec’s May 29 resolution.

The SC released the order last Wednesday, or nine days after the Comelec ruled that Imperial won by a margin of over 2,000 votes against Rosal in the May 2004 polls.

Some 10,000 Rosal supporters staged an indignation rally last June 2, wearing black armed bands to signify what they claimed was the "death of democracy" here.

The camps of both Rosal and Imperial are planning to hold separate rallies tomorrow in support of their leaders.

Rosal said theirs would be a victory rally because of the SC status quo order.

"Of course, we are very impressed by the very quick decision of the Supreme Court in favor of our petition," Rosal told The STAR.