Comelec disqualifies Mayor Robredo
"SOMOS" swiftly came to roost this afternoon, much earlier than we thought.
I have received word that a division of the Commission on Elections (Comelec), comprising of Commissioners Romeo Brawner, Nicodemo Ferrer and Resureccion Borra, has disqualified Mayor Robredo from running for reelection on a 2-1 vote.
Alecks Pabico's recent feature story here contains a listing of the cases filed against the mayor since he cut ties with uncle and former benefactor Luis R. Villafuerte in 1992. All were decided in his favor, including an en banc Comelec decision on August 5, 2003 declaring Robredo a natural-born citizen.
Brawner and Ferrer however decided to give due course to the same complaint resurrected by cousin and opposing candidate Jojo Villafuerte last April 3, 2007. Brawner is Congressman Villafuerte's classmate at the UP College of Law while Ferrer is a former law partner. Their powerful colleague is now KAMPI president and is eyeing to replace incumbent House Speaker Jose de Venecia when the next congress convenes. Borra provided the lone dissenting vote.
Pabico's interview with Robredo, I think, provided this money quote that frames this patently politically charged development:No one has even bothered to take a look at my citizenship until I decided run for public office and until I opposed them (the Villafuertes). It's very ironic because when I was their candidate, I was a Filipino citizen. When I became their opponent, I was not a Filipino citizen anymore.
13 comments:
A perfect case for one of my recent posts about the Unfair Elections Act of 2007. I should include this in its updated version.
To you Willy I shall channel Yoda: "Hm, gathered strength, the Dark Side has. Thread with caution fellow Jedis, or annihilated, our Council will be."
To Jojo V. I will use his very own big-screen utterance of long time ago: "Babangon ang huling patak ng dugo."
That's really a bad piece of news. I hope the people of Naga don't take this lying down.
So, it's true...
This afternoon (thanks to your post and link) I just finished downloading and listening to Alecks Pabico's interview with Mayor Robredo when my wife texted me that someone had told her Comelec had ruled against Robredo.
Tonight, I read your latest post and confirm my fears. Indeed, this is bad news for all of us, I'm saddened and outraged by this latest political development.
I will closely monitor this controversial issue and blog about it...
This is sad, but the matter should be easy to resolve. Obredo's lawyers (and at least one informed blogger) should easily come up with:
(1) when Obredo born was, where, and who were his parents.... and most important, where is the birth certificate;
(2) a copy of the any court decision relating to this matter;
..
If the (investigation to determine grounds for) disqualification is based on an OLD BANANA, then no issue.
If there is a NEW BANANA, the process should be "...innocent until proven guilty" and Obredo stays in office.
After five attempts, the Villafuertes finally succeeds. What behooves me is how a division could overturn an en banc resolution? This case is rehashed.
The issue of his citizenship came up when I was still in college, which is ages ago. Between then and now, he had ample chance to change his citizenship.
The mayor has flown overseas on several occasions. Willy... the mayor or the mayor's lawyer can share a jpeg-picture of Mayor Obredo's passport.
If it is Philippine, well and good.
If it is Taiwanese or Singaporean, not that good.
Finally, the Villafuerte camp came up with the best plan ever! Seemed that everything he needs is in perfect position this time to push through his all-time dream to unseat Robredo and turn Naga to the dark world!
Congrats for proving again and again that louie cannot be trusted, gloria cannot be trusted and comelec cannot be trusted.
I wonder why some people are so blind at these?
Schumey: Onli in da Pilipins, you know.
Dave: Jojo is different from Bong, who produced that flop with Juday. LRay, however, socked it to both during the Apr 27 political forum.
CVJ: The people of Naga will not take it lying down. Mass actions will be taking place starting today.
Maryanne: But he maintains all along that he is a Filipino citizen. To attempt any "change" is to admit you are not in the first place.:)
UP student: If I only had access to his passport, I will post them here. But I would assume it was one of the evidences submitted to Comelec. Winnie Monsod's piece also adverted to his and his father's having a Pinoy passport, so it "is well and good."
The Inquirer editorial today also pointed out that there are no new evidence put forward; it must be OLD BANANA, don't you think?
Dune: Kinakaramot na talaga!
Good thing Mayor Robredo's legal advisers got wind of the unusual movement within Comelec in regard to his citizenship case when the deadline for the filing of candidacies neared by end of March.
That paved the way for Leni's candidacy, which was prescient. So, if worse comes to worst, Naga residents will still have a choice.
Doesn't make sense to me. See what happened to him. LRV is not the most obstinate person in the world after all. Heh!
Maryanne: Well, they were cut from the same cloth -- or half-a-cloth -- even if Jojo in effect denies their kinship. Obstinacy I think is a vice or a virtue -- depending on how you sees it -- sewn firmly into the fabric.
That makes their relationship somewhat like the yin-and-the-yang, black-and-white-kind-of-thing.
But L-Ray, during the political forum, did not, acknowledging that both Jesse and Jojo are his cousins.:)
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