Abolition of recall scheme for local execs sought

MANILA, Philippines - Palawan Rep. Dennis Socrates proposed yesterday that the recall mechanism for local officials enshrined in the Local Government Code be scrapped.

Socrates filed House Bill 6222, which seeks to repeal Sections 69 to 75 of the code, otherwise known as Republic Act 7160.

Under the law, the election of a local official can be recalled through a petition signed by 10-25 percent of the voters in his province, city or town.

Such petition may be filed with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) one year after the local official’s assumption of office and one year before the next regular local election.

The law mandates that a recall election can be held only once within the term of a local official.

In seeking the scrapping of the recall mechanism, Socrates said since local officials have a term of office of only three years, the timeframe for a recall is actually less than one year or about 11 months.

Socrates said newly elected officials take their oath of office on June 30 following their election.

This means that a recall petition can be filed only from July 1 after the official sought to be recalled assumes office, up to the second Monday of May of his second year because the next election would be held on the second Monday of May of his third year, he said.

Socrates said the 11-month window is too short for the Comelec, especially if there are recall petitions against several local officials.

He said the shortness of the window prompted the Comelec last March 7 to stop acting on 38 pending recall petitions due to lack of time and funds.

The 38 cases include that of former congressman and now Palawan Gov. Abraham Mitra, who has challenged the authenticity of the voters’ signatures on the petition for his recall.

Socrates said the Comelec stopped acting on recall petitions principally because it has to attend to preparations for the May 2013 congressional-local elections.