Recall proceedings vs Bulacan gov, Palawan mayor OK’d

MANILA, Philippines - The Supreme Court (SC) yesterday rejected appeals seeking to stop the Commission on Elections (Comelec) from resolving petitions calling for recall proceedings against two elected local officials.

In a press conference, SC spokesman Theodore Te said the high court dismissed the petitions filed by  Bulacan Gov. Wilhelmino Sy-Alvarado and Puerto Princesa City Mayor Lucilo Bayron.

On Alvarado’s case, the high tribunal upheld the initial findings of Comelec on the sufficiency of the recall petition filed against the governor by Perlita Mendoza.

In the assailed Comelec resolutions dated June 3, 2014 and Jan. 30, the poll body ordered the signatures in the petition verified to find out if the signatories were all registered voters of the province.

“The Supreme Court agreed with the Comelec that the verification of the signatures is done during the verification process and not at the initial stage, as claimed by petitioner,” Te said.

As for Bayron’s case, the SC affirmed resolutions issued by the poll body in April and December last year giving due course to the recall petition filed by voter Alroben Goh.

Bayron accused the Comelec of committing grave abuse of discretion in issuing Resolution No. 9864, which affirmed the sufficiency of the recall petition.

He said the poll body erred in dismissing his argument that the petition violated the period prescribed under the Local Government Code.