Thursday, March 8, 2012

News Update Out of funds, pressed for time, Comelec drops 34 recall election petitions

The Commission on Election (Comelec) on Wednesday confirmed that it stopped processing 34 recall election petitions due to lack of funds.
“All 34 requests are discontinued dahil wala ng pera,” Comelec Commissioner Sixto Brillantes told GMA News Online in a phone interview.
A petition for recall election is a process under the Local Government Code for removing certain elected officials, including governors, mayors and vice mayors before their respective term ends.
All 34 officials facing recall petition will be able to stay in their respective posts, according to the Comelec chief.
The Comelec resolution with details of the 34 petitions
will be released Thursday, he said.
Aside from lack of funds, Brillantes said the commission can no longer accommodate the petitions, as preparations for the 2013 elections are underway.
“The law provides that election recall be held a year before an election… and before that, we need at least 60 days to prepare for that.”
Some local government officials who would benefit from this resolution are Palawan Gov. Abraham Mitra, Samboan (Cebu) Vice Mayor Rogelio Capa and Danao City Mayor Ramon “Boy” Durano Jr. — VS