Article by:
Benjamin Pulta
MANILA – The Supreme Court (SC) has dismissed a petition filed by a Bulacan mayor questioning the recall petition filed against him in 2017.
In a resolution uploaded to the SC website on March 11, the high court en banc "dismissed for having become moot and academic" the suit filed by former Pandi, Bulacan mayor Celestino T. Marquez following the end of his term in 2019.
"Considering that the petition for recall... sought to remove petitioner during the remainder of his term which ended in 2019, we note that the petition is dismissible on the ground of mootness," the court ruled.
Marquez elevated the case to the SC to question the 2018 decision of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to allow the petition for recall filed by Arnold P. Lagdameo to proceed despite what Marquez said were defects in the petition.
Marquez claimed the signature sheets failed to indicate the position of the official sought to be recalled, did not contain a brief narration of the reasons and justifications for the filing of the petition, and failed to attach original documents.
The Comelec had ruled that there had been substantial compliance since Marquez was identified as "Mayor" and there was no other official sought to be recalled in the petition.
The poll body also said the required percentage of supporting petitioners was also met.
"We take this opportunity to remind the Comelec, that it must strictly comply with all requirements under applicable laws relative to the conduct of elections as well as the exercise of the electorate of their power to recall, if only to uphold the sovereign will of the people and safeguard the rule of the majority," the SC said. (PNA)
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