SAMAL, Bataan – Finally, after two years and 11 months of electoral protest, businessman Roseller “Ross” Navarro, younger brother of Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez, on Tuesday assumed peacefully as new mayor here replacing Mayor Rolando Tigas.
The Commission on Elections last May 26 directed the serving of the Order of the Comelec en banc promulgated last May 22 and the Writ of Execution issued by the Electoral Contest Adjudication Department dated May 24, 2010.
The poll body in the Order signed by Comelec chairman Jose Melo has declared the proclamation of Tigas in the May 10, 2007 elections as null and void, finding Navarro as the duly-elected municipal mayor of Samal.
Residents when asked what they could say of having a new mayor answered: “Kahit sinong mayor basta ikagaganda ng Samal.”
“Ayos lang, magandang masubukan ang iba at baka sa mayor na ito magkaroon ng pagbabago ang Samal,” they added.
Tigas was not in the mayor’s office at the Samal municipal building when Navarro took over. The former mayor could not be reached for comments. It was learned that he has accepted the decision.
After a bitter political rivalry in 2007, Tigas and Navarro became allies in the May 10, 2010 polls. They, however both lost, Tigas as vice-governor and Navarro as mayor of Samal. The two ran under the administration Lakas-CMD-Kampi Party.
“Nagkakaintindihan na kami at napag-usapan na namin ito ni Mayor Tigas,” Navarro declared of his assumption while meeting for the first time all the department heads of the municipal government.
When asked what he will do in 30 days, the ombudsman’s brother said he has many plans for Samal and he would discuss the matter with the chiefs of departments.
Navarro will sit as mayor of Samal until June 30, 2010 after which director Gene Malibiran of the Peninsula Electric Cooperative takes over as new town chief executive. The Municipal Board of Canvassers has proclaimed Malibiran as winning mayor in the first automated elections.
The director, however, faces a disqualification case on her alleged American citizenship status that was decided against her by the Comelec division a few days before the elections. She has filed a Motion for Reconsideration.
The Commission on Elections last May 26 directed the serving of the Order of the Comelec en banc promulgated last May 22 and the Writ of Execution issued by the Electoral Contest Adjudication Department dated May 24, 2010.
The poll body in the Order signed by Comelec chairman Jose Melo has declared the proclamation of Tigas in the May 10, 2007 elections as null and void, finding Navarro as the duly-elected municipal mayor of Samal.
Residents when asked what they could say of having a new mayor answered: “Kahit sinong mayor basta ikagaganda ng Samal.”
“Ayos lang, magandang masubukan ang iba at baka sa mayor na ito magkaroon ng pagbabago ang Samal,” they added.
Tigas was not in the mayor’s office at the Samal municipal building when Navarro took over. The former mayor could not be reached for comments. It was learned that he has accepted the decision.
After a bitter political rivalry in 2007, Tigas and Navarro became allies in the May 10, 2010 polls. They, however both lost, Tigas as vice-governor and Navarro as mayor of Samal. The two ran under the administration Lakas-CMD-Kampi Party.
“Nagkakaintindihan na kami at napag-usapan na namin ito ni Mayor Tigas,” Navarro declared of his assumption while meeting for the first time all the department heads of the municipal government.
When asked what he will do in 30 days, the ombudsman’s brother said he has many plans for Samal and he would discuss the matter with the chiefs of departments.
Navarro will sit as mayor of Samal until June 30, 2010 after which director Gene Malibiran of the Peninsula Electric Cooperative takes over as new town chief executive. The Municipal Board of Canvassers has proclaimed Malibiran as winning mayor in the first automated elections.
The director, however, faces a disqualification case on her alleged American citizenship status that was decided against her by the Comelec division a few days before the elections. She has filed a Motion for Reconsideration.
