CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – Gov. Eddie Panlilio questioned yesterday the credibility of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) after it was reported to have come out with an en banc resolution affirming an earlier verdict ousting him from the provincial government in favor of Lilia Pineda.
In a press conference here yesterday, Panlilio said he will not allow Pineda to take over the Capitol until the electoral case has been appealed to and decided with finality by the Supreme Court.
Panlilio and his lawyers expressed surprise over the reported Comelec en banc decision affirming an earlier verdict of its Second Division declaring Pineda as the winner in the 2007 elections.
The initial decision was based on a recount of votes which indicated that Pineda won by 1,147 votes in the last polls and ordered her to take over Panlilio’s post.
But in an interview with Punto, Pineda, who is again running under the Lakas-Kampi-CMD party against Liberal Party’s Panlilio in the coming elections, said she already instructed her lawyer George Garcia not to file a petition for writ of execution of the en banc decision.
“The campaign period has already exhausted me and I just want to take some rest after the elections,” she said.
Panlilio’s lawyer Ernesto Francisco said, however, that the Comelec en banc’s decision was “immediately executory” and did not even provide for a 30-day period for Panlilio to file an appeal.
Francisco said, however, that Panlilio’s camp still had to receive an official copy of the verdict which Pineda’s lawyer had already announced to media the other day. “We just found out that the Comelec has yet to release the decision. Notices are still being prepared,” he said in a text message as Panlilio was holding his press conference at noon here yesterday.
“I can not help but wonder why Lilia Pineda and her lawyer had advance information about the order. I also wonder why this case was prioritized over that of (Isabela) Gov. Grace Padaca which was elevated to the en banc earlier,” he added.
Panlilio also aired similar observations, noting that the Comelec has other more serious problems to face, as he cited the malfunction of the precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines and the lack of training of the members of the Board of Elections Inspectors for this Monday’s polls.
Adonis Pineda, Liberal Party’s congressional candidate against Pres. Arroyo who is running for Congress in the second district, linked the move to unseat Panlilio in the “overall design” to perpetuate the President in power beyond her term.
At the same time, Panlilio also decried allegations hurled by Pineda against him in her electoral complaint that led to vote recount, including vote-buying, “dagdag-bawas”, harassment and coercion.
“Who in his right mind will believe that I bought votes?” asked Panlilio, a priest who ran as independent candidate in 2007.
Panlilio also lamented the failure of the Comelec provincial office to act on his complaint that the Pineda camp continues to buy votes, as he cited reports that her poll watchers have been receiving monthly pay of as much as P4,000.
In a press conference here yesterday, Panlilio said he will not allow Pineda to take over the Capitol until the electoral case has been appealed to and decided with finality by the Supreme Court.
Panlilio and his lawyers expressed surprise over the reported Comelec en banc decision affirming an earlier verdict of its Second Division declaring Pineda as the winner in the 2007 elections.
The initial decision was based on a recount of votes which indicated that Pineda won by 1,147 votes in the last polls and ordered her to take over Panlilio’s post.
But in an interview with Punto, Pineda, who is again running under the Lakas-Kampi-CMD party against Liberal Party’s Panlilio in the coming elections, said she already instructed her lawyer George Garcia not to file a petition for writ of execution of the en banc decision.
“The campaign period has already exhausted me and I just want to take some rest after the elections,” she said.
Panlilio’s lawyer Ernesto Francisco said, however, that the Comelec en banc’s decision was “immediately executory” and did not even provide for a 30-day period for Panlilio to file an appeal.
Francisco said, however, that Panlilio’s camp still had to receive an official copy of the verdict which Pineda’s lawyer had already announced to media the other day. “We just found out that the Comelec has yet to release the decision. Notices are still being prepared,” he said in a text message as Panlilio was holding his press conference at noon here yesterday.
“I can not help but wonder why Lilia Pineda and her lawyer had advance information about the order. I also wonder why this case was prioritized over that of (Isabela) Gov. Grace Padaca which was elevated to the en banc earlier,” he added.
Panlilio also aired similar observations, noting that the Comelec has other more serious problems to face, as he cited the malfunction of the precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines and the lack of training of the members of the Board of Elections Inspectors for this Monday’s polls.
Adonis Pineda, Liberal Party’s congressional candidate against Pres. Arroyo who is running for Congress in the second district, linked the move to unseat Panlilio in the “overall design” to perpetuate the President in power beyond her term.
At the same time, Panlilio also decried allegations hurled by Pineda against him in her electoral complaint that led to vote recount, including vote-buying, “dagdag-bawas”, harassment and coercion.
“Who in his right mind will believe that I bought votes?” asked Panlilio, a priest who ran as independent candidate in 2007.
Panlilio also lamented the failure of the Comelec provincial office to act on his complaint that the Pineda camp continues to buy votes, as he cited reports that her poll watchers have been receiving monthly pay of as much as P4,000.
