Verification of signatures in Mitra recall petition deferred

MANILA, Philippines - The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has deferred the verification of the signatures in the recall petition filed against Palawan Gov. Abraham Khalil Mitra pending compliance of some documentary requirements.

Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said the procedure had to be deferred while waiting for lawyer Urbano Arlando, Palawan provincial election supervisor, to submit the “proposed budget of verification.”

Jimenez said Arlando was also directed to make known the “schedule of verification” and to determine the number of verification centers to be set up in Palawan.

The Comelec had ordered the verification of the signatures after finding the recall petition to be substantial in form and substance in October last year.

The petition was filed by the group Kilusang Love Malampaya (KLM) which accused Mitra of compromising the province’s interest when he accepted Malacañang’s offer of a smaller share of the royalties paid by the Malampaya consortium for operating the natural gas project off northern Palawan.

The petition contained more than 158,000 signatures from various towns and cities of Palawan.

Mitra had filed a motion for reconsideration but the Comelec recently denied it.

Jimenez said the verification committee does not have to verify all of the signatures. If it finds that the signatories consist of 10 percent of the 535,279 registered voters in Palawan, the Comelec will set the recall election.

Jimenez said the recall election has to be done not later than one year preceding the next election or in this case, before the mid-term polls on May 13, 2013.