Mabalacat City—The Supreme Court en banc threw away the petition to unseat the present chief executive here filed by the camp of ex-mayor Marino Morales.
In a 21-page decision penned by Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, the High Tribunal dismissed the petitions for Certiorari filed separately by Morales and Halili.
They were filed few days before Crisostomo Garbo assumed the mayorship as the Comelec en banc issued a Writ of Execution on June 8, 2017.
The writ ordered for the proclamation of Garbo on June 27, 2017.
The SC dismissed for lack of merit and affirmed Resolution of the Comelec First Division issued on August 3, 2016 and the subsequent Resolution of Comelec En Banc issued on May 26, 2017.
Both were the subject of the petitions of Morales and Halili.
“I am elated with the recent Supreme Court decision as this lay to rest the issue on the legitimacy of my leadership as City Mayor of Mabalacat City. I extend my hand of conciliation to the parties and for them to help me achieve my dream of transforming Mabalacat City into a world-class City in the Philippines,” said Garbo.
On June 2, 2017, Halili filed with the SC a Petition for Certiorari and Prohibition with application for Temporary Restraining Order and/or Status Ante Order.
Separately, Morales filed also with the SC three days later a Petition for Certiorari with Urgent Prayer for Temporary Restraining Order and/or Status Ante Order and/or Write of Preliminary Injunction.
The nature of the petitions assailed the rulings of the Comelec of August 3, 2016 and May 26, 2017.
The Comelec’s First Division on August 3, 2016 ordered the cancellation of Certificate of Candidacy (COC) of Morales and votes cast in his favor declared astray.
The same ruling ordered the City Board of Canvassers to reconvene and annul the proclamation of Morales and proclaim the qualified candidate with the next highest number of votes. Jess Malabanan
The Comelec En Banc on May 26, 2017 affirmed the decision of the First Division as it denied the motion for reconsideration filed by Morales for lack of merit.