SC favors Lipa mayor on poll issue

BATANGAS, Philippines  – The Supreme Court (SC) has annulled an earlier ruling of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) canceling the certificate of candidacy of Lipa City Mayor Maynard Sabili for alleged lack of residency.

Voting 9-4 with two abstentions, the SC ruled that Sabili would stay in his post, saying the Comelec violated the mayor’s right to due process.

Sabili, according to the SC, was able to “adduce substantial evidence to demonstrate compliance with the one-year residency requirement for local elective officials under the law.”

In the May 2010 elections, Sabili got 55,268 votes against the 48,825 votes of his sole rival, Oscar Gozos, a two-term fourth district congressman of Batangas and former Lipa City mayor.

“Mayor Sabili is vindicated by the SC decision. The SC saw what the Comelec refused to see specifically those overwhelming evidence proving that Mayor Sabili is a resident of Lipa. With the SC decision, we hope everyone can now move forward for the progress of our beloved city and betterment of all Lipeños,” lawyer Leo Latido, Lipa City administrator, said in a text message to The STAR.