SASMUAN, Pampanga – An employee under the office of Chairman Jose Melo of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) is now being investi-gated for issuing “certifications” that prevented the enforcement of final verdicts issued by both the Comelec en banc and the Supreme Court ordering the ouster of this town’s Mayor Nardo Velasco.
In its latest order dated last Feb. 10, the Comelec en banc confirmed that one Matias Din who issued the unauthorized “certifications” is an employee under the office of Melo.
Earlier, lawyer Jose Jose, counsel for Mozart Panlaqui who was defeated by Velasco in the 2007 mayoral polls here, noted that Din was the signatory in two certifications dated last Nov. 18 and another dated last Dec. 4 preventing the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) from ousting Velasco.
Velasco, a “balikbayan” from the US, filed mayoral candidacy here for the 2007 polls, but the local Board of Election Inspectors (BEI) disqualified him for lacking the one-year residency required by law. Velasco, however, pursued his candidacy and won after the BEI’s decision was overturned by the municipal trial court in Sasmuan.
Appeals later made by Panlaqui before the Regional Trial Court, the Comelec en banc and the Supreme Court upheld the BEI’s exclusion of Velasco from the local voters’ list and declared his candidacy “null and void.”
In his certifications forwarded to the DILG in this province, Din claimed that the ouster verdicts could not be implemented as more hearings on the electoral case had been purportedly slated by the Comelec.
The Comelec noted that its verdict to oust Velasco dated Sept. 8, 2009 and supplemental order reiterating this on Nov. 3 were not implemented by the DILG because of certifications issued by Din, who identified himself as an “administrative officer IV” of the Comelec. The last certification he issued, dated last Dec. 4, claimed that a “manifestation and motion” filed by Velasco was reset to Feb. 26, 2010.
The Comelec said that Din admitted to Melo that he had indeed issued the unauthorized certifications.
“Considering said admission, he was severely reprimanded by no less than the Chairman for lack of authority to issue any certification,” the Comelec said.
The Comelec also said that its law department was “directed to conduct an investigation of Matias Din.”
The Comelec also said that Melo “even advised the parties that they may file the necessary complaints against Matias Din if they so decide.”
It noted that “the Supreme Court denied with finality on Dec. 15, 2009 the motion for reconsideration” filed by Velasco and that the Court even stressed that “no further pleadings or motions will be entertained” on the case.
The Comelec had ordered Sasmuan Vice Mayor Fernando Baltazar to assume post as mayor, even as Panlaqui sought clarification on whether he was entitled to the post, as the disqualification of Velasco made him the lone mayoral candidate in the 2007 elections in his town.
Despite this development, the DILG in Pampanga has not enforced the ouster of Velasco. Panlaqui said that he was informed by the DILG central office that the enforcement of the ouster order still had to be approved by one of the department’s undersecretaries.
Meanwhile, Panlaqui, who was invited by both the Liberal Party and the Nacionalista Party to run for mayor anew, did not file candidacy for the May polls.
“Up to now, one who was never qualified as mayor still sits as mayor. This lack for respect for the rule of law is utterly frustrating,” he said when asked why he is not running for any post in the coming elections.
In its latest order dated last Feb. 10, the Comelec en banc confirmed that one Matias Din who issued the unauthorized “certifications” is an employee under the office of Melo.
Earlier, lawyer Jose Jose, counsel for Mozart Panlaqui who was defeated by Velasco in the 2007 mayoral polls here, noted that Din was the signatory in two certifications dated last Nov. 18 and another dated last Dec. 4 preventing the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) from ousting Velasco.
Velasco, a “balikbayan” from the US, filed mayoral candidacy here for the 2007 polls, but the local Board of Election Inspectors (BEI) disqualified him for lacking the one-year residency required by law. Velasco, however, pursued his candidacy and won after the BEI’s decision was overturned by the municipal trial court in Sasmuan.
Appeals later made by Panlaqui before the Regional Trial Court, the Comelec en banc and the Supreme Court upheld the BEI’s exclusion of Velasco from the local voters’ list and declared his candidacy “null and void.”
In his certifications forwarded to the DILG in this province, Din claimed that the ouster verdicts could not be implemented as more hearings on the electoral case had been purportedly slated by the Comelec.
The Comelec noted that its verdict to oust Velasco dated Sept. 8, 2009 and supplemental order reiterating this on Nov. 3 were not implemented by the DILG because of certifications issued by Din, who identified himself as an “administrative officer IV” of the Comelec. The last certification he issued, dated last Dec. 4, claimed that a “manifestation and motion” filed by Velasco was reset to Feb. 26, 2010.
The Comelec said that Din admitted to Melo that he had indeed issued the unauthorized certifications.
“Considering said admission, he was severely reprimanded by no less than the Chairman for lack of authority to issue any certification,” the Comelec said.
The Comelec also said that its law department was “directed to conduct an investigation of Matias Din.”
The Comelec also said that Melo “even advised the parties that they may file the necessary complaints against Matias Din if they so decide.”
It noted that “the Supreme Court denied with finality on Dec. 15, 2009 the motion for reconsideration” filed by Velasco and that the Court even stressed that “no further pleadings or motions will be entertained” on the case.
The Comelec had ordered Sasmuan Vice Mayor Fernando Baltazar to assume post as mayor, even as Panlaqui sought clarification on whether he was entitled to the post, as the disqualification of Velasco made him the lone mayoral candidate in the 2007 elections in his town.
Despite this development, the DILG in Pampanga has not enforced the ouster of Velasco. Panlaqui said that he was informed by the DILG central office that the enforcement of the ouster order still had to be approved by one of the department’s undersecretaries.
Meanwhile, Panlaqui, who was invited by both the Liberal Party and the Nacionalista Party to run for mayor anew, did not file candidacy for the May polls.
“Up to now, one who was never qualified as mayor still sits as mayor. This lack for respect for the rule of law is utterly frustrating,” he said when asked why he is not running for any post in the coming elections.
