The Comelec Second Division dismissed the petition to nullify election results filed by former officials of the province against Surigao del Norte Rep. Guillermo A. Romarate Jr., Governor Sol F. Matugas, and Vice Governor Arturo Carlos A. Egay Jr.
It also cleared the election charges against the municipal board of canvassers (MBOC) of Sison town in the same province.
The petitions were filed by former Surigao del Norte governor Robert Ace Barbers, former vice governor Noel P. Catre and former Surigao City mayor Alfonso S. Casurra.
In a 10-page Resolution promulgated on January 19, 2011 and unanimously signed by Comelec Commissioners Nicomedo Ferrer, Elias Yusoph and Lucenito Tagle, the Second Division of the Comelec said the petitioners failed to present substantial evidence to support their allegations of irregularity in procedures and venue.
The resolution said the petition was an exercise in futility because the total number of voters in the contested precincts in Sison, Surigao del Norte would not materially affect the results of the elections for the positions of governor, vice governor and second district representative of Surigao del Norte. (MUC/MB)
1 comment:
While i emphatize with the Petitioners valid claims, the decision rendered by the Comelec has substance, were Fair, unbiased and appropriate... thereby rendering the irregularity/ies without merit.
What could have been the verbiage used was to focus solely if not mainly on one thing and one thing only, 'that cheating by the defendants in question (or vote-buying which is illegal) was present, witnessed, corroborated and with concrete evidence and enough to satisfy nullification of any election returns/results' across the board'....irrespective of the number of votes which seems to be the "prime issue", the act commited was downright illegal and an as such compels the Comelec to declare any result null and void...if the numbers-game is what they relied and presented as the substance of the petition, it really makes it weak and juvenile in fashion and yet, not change or alter the majority of the votes and be favorable to the petitioners. Hopefully next time they will learn from these mistakes and make a concerted effort to have the elections held like vendo-soda- machines where what you press is what you get...or maybe then again when it's their turn to cheat the vendo-soda machine concept is detrimental or will be to their own disadvantage, or is it?
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