Government agency ordered to unseat Bulacan guv

COMMISSION on Elections (Comelec) has directed the Department of Interior and Local Government and the Provincial Election Supervisor of Bulacan to implement its earlier ruling declaring Roberto Pagdanganan as the duly elected governor of the province.

The order unseats Joselito Mendoza as Bulacan governor.

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In a 10-page resolution penned by Chairman Jose Melo, the Commission En Banc dismissed the motion for reconsideration filed by Mendoza assailing the Second Division resolution promulgated on December 1, 2009 for lack of merit.

Based on the decision, Pagdanganan obtained a total of 342,295 votes as against Mendoza's 337,974 votes or a margin of 4,321 votes.

Melo said that considering the proximity of the end of the term of the office involved, the said resolution is “declared immediately executory.”

Based on record, there are about 20,236 votes deducted from Mendoza which are found to be spurious.

During the May 14, 2007 elections, Pagdanganan and Mendoza were two of the four candidates gunning for the position of Governor of the Province of Bulacan.

The Provincial Board of Canvassers proclaimed Mendoza on May 24, 2007 as the winner in the race for garnering 364,566 votes as against Pagdanganan's 348,834 votes or a margin of only 15,732 votes.

But on July 1, 2007, Pagdanganan filed election protest against Mendoza questioning the results in 16 out of the 24 cities and municipalities of Bulacan.

Pagdanganan meanwhile is hoping for a peaceful transition of gubernatorial seat in Bulacan and he expects Mendoza to respect the decision of the Comelec just like what he did.

“The decision of the Comelec reflects the true will of the people of Bulacan and there is no reason for the other party to deny Bulacan the rightful winner in the last election,” he said.

Pagdanganan is seeking a congressional seat in the first district of the province in the coming May elections. (FP/Sunnex)