Tuesday, October 17, 2006 Poll body voids election of officers by faction of political party
FORMER Senate president Franklin Drilon and his group have scored a victory after the Commission on Elections (Comelec) declared the faction of Manila Mayor Jose "Lito" Atienza as illegally existing and ordered its elected officials to cease from representing the party and desist from exercising functions.
In a 17-page unanimous decision, the commission en banc ruled to invalidate the March 2, 2006 election of officers by the Atienza camp wherein the Manila mayor was named as LP president replacing Drilon.
Calling the assembly and election called for by Atienza as illegal, Drilon had petitioned the Comelec not to recognize the Atienza faction and instead accredit his bloc.
The Comelec ordered the conduct of an election of LP officials on November 13 at the Manila Hotel.
Based on the resolution, the six members of the Comelec en banc said the election would be "at the expense of the Liberal Party to be supervised by the commission."
Meanwhile, Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said the en banc also did not recognize the Drilon bloc's election, which followed the Atienza-led meeting.
Citing the Comelec's resolution promulgated on Oct. 13, 2006, Jimenez said Drilon is on holdover capacity until the election of new officers is done.
"Senator Drilon will only serve the unexpired portion of (former) Congressman (Florencio) Abad's term which was (supposed) to end July 24, 2006. So this means that until this time, Senator Drilon is in an acting capacity," Jimenez said.
In an 11-page petition, Drilon asked the Comelec to nullify the results of what he described as "rump elections" during the party's convention at the Manila Hotel last March 6 and prevent Atienza and his group from performing the duties and functions of the party's officials.
Atienza led the party convention in March of this year in a move to oust Drilon, after Drilon renounced support from President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
Aside from Atienza, Presidential chief of staff Michael Defensor, Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya, Presidential legal adviser Eduardo Nachura and Ambassador to Greece Rigoberto Tiglao were also named in the petition. (MSN/Sunnex)
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