Interviewed on his way to the Comelec central office in Manila where he was set to be declared mayoral winner, Garbo expressed confidence a temporary restraining order (TRO) sought by Mayor Marino Morales would not be issued by the Supreme Court in time for the declaration.
If he is declared winner by the Comelec, such TRO would be moot and academic, he quoted his lawyer as saying.
Last May, the Comelec en banc named him as the winner in the Mabalacat mayoral race after Pyra Lucas, who landed fourth in the race, sought to disqualify Mayor Marino Morales for having exceeded the maximum three successive mayoral terms. Morales had argued that he was merely on first mayoral term as city mayor after Mabalacat was made a chartered city in 2012.
The Comelec named Garbo as the real winner since he garnered the second highest votes in the mayoral polls, even as it dismissed the rule of succession in favor of Vice Mayor Christian Halili as being applicable in the case.
Morales descended from his post last week upon orders of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and turned over his post to Halili as officer-in-charge.
Garbo said that his lawyer advised him to be sworn in by a notary public soon after his declaration by the Comelec.
“So I would be declared winner, then be sworn in. We will also work immediately for a certificate of recognition by the DILG,” he said.
Garbo said he planned to pay a courtesy call on Gov. Lilia Pineda today before assuming his post as mayor at Mabalacat City hall.
“I just want to start work since there are so many things that need to be done. Perhaps, the matter of more fitting ceremonies can be done later, if at all,” he said.
Garbo asked city hall workers to “feel comfortable” with him, assuring them that “no one would be dislocated needlessly.”
He said that despite his assumption to office, the Supreme Court is still expected to tackle the merits of the mayoral case as petitioned by Morales. “But that is a long way to go yet and we are confident because the Comelec verdict in my favor was unanimous,” he added.
