Tuesday, January 15, 2008 Guv dismisses recall plots as 'mere rumors' By Ian Ocampo Flora
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- "These are just unfounded rumors," said Pampanga Governor Eddie Panlilio to the reports that some groups are set to have him removed from the Provincial Capitol through recall.
The priest-turned-governor said he will not be doing anything since these are merely rumors.
Before the end of last year, the "recall lot" allegedly to be initiated by Panlilio's detractors would commence at the start of 2008.
In a Supreme Court (SC) ruling in 1997 a recall was described as "an effective and speedy remedy to remove an official who is not giving satisfaction to the electorate regardless of whether or not he is discharging his full duty to the best of his ability and as his conscience dictates, it is a power granted to the people who, in concert, desire to change their leaders for reasons only they, as a collective, can justify."
"In other words, recall must be pursued by the people, not just by one disgruntled loser in the elections or a small percentage of disenchanted electors. Otherwise, its purpose as a direct remedy of the people shall be defeated by the ill motives of a few among them whose selfish resort to recall would destabilize the community and seriously disrupt the running of government. Making Chief Justice Reynato Puno to remark on a recall election as "a double-edged sword, rightly used, it can promote greater good. Wrongly used, it can result in greater evil," the SC ruling added.
This means that any elective local official may be the subject of a recall election only once during his term of office for loss of confidence. "No recall shall take place within one year from the date of the official's assumption to office or one year immediately preceding a regular local election. (Para. b, Section 74, RA 7160)," it also stated.
In this case, a recall election for governor in Pampanga cannot be held until after 30 June 2008.
