THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) dismissed Friday a disqualification case filed against Puerto Princesa, Palawan Mayor Edward Hagedorn due to “lack of merit.”
The Comelec First Division chaired by commissioner Rene Sarmiento and members Armando Velasco and Gregorio Larrazabal said that petitioner Bienvenido Rodriguez failed to substantiate his claim that Hagedorn completed the three term limit in the Constitution.
Rodriguez asserted in his petition that Hagedorn was elected in 2002 recall election and in regular elections in 2004 and in 2007.
But the commissioners said the case of Socrates vs Comelec, indicated that “winner in the recall election cannot be charged or credited with the full term of three years for purposes of counting the consecutiveness of an elective official’s term in office.”
Hagedorn is seeking a reelection for the May 10 polls.
Palawan has nearly 500,000 registered voter based on records of the Comelec. (MSN/Sunnex)