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Comelec: Pagdanganan won as Bulacan gov in '07


(Updated 6:11 p.m.) The Comelec has proclaimed former Agrarian Reform secretary Roberto Pagdanganan as the duly elected governor of Bulacan after granting the election protest filed against incumbent Governor Joselito Mendoza two years ago. By virtue of an order by the Comelec Second Division dated November 25, the poll body directed Mendoza to immediately vacate the office of the provincial governor and turn over the post to Pagdanganan. The decision came less than six months going into the May 2010 elections. The Comelec granted Pagdanganan's election protest after a recount which showed that Pagdanganan got 342,295 votes in 2007 compared to Mendoza's 337,974 votes. "Lumabas din ang katotohanan. Ito po ay isang malaking tagumpay at bindikasyon para sa lalawigan ng Bulacan (The truth finally came out. This is a huge victory and vindication for the province of Bulacan)," Pagdanganan said at a press conference Tuesday in Manila. In a radio interview, Mendoza said he will file a motion for reconsideration with the Comelec, and may bring the matter to the Supreme Court if the Comelec rejects his appeal. "Paglalaban natin ang karapatan natin ... Hindi naman tayo nandaya at wala sa ating kakayahan ang mandaya (I will fight for my right. I never cheated and it is never in my mind to cheat)," Mendoza said in an interview on dzRH radio. Appeal Pagdanganan, who is planning to run for a congressional seat in the first district of Bulacan in 2010, appealed to Mendoza to peacefully turn over the post to him so that he can continue what he has started in the province where he served as governor from 1989 to 1998. "Ang gusto namin dito ay matahimik na pagbaba sa katungkulan. Nakikiusap kami sa aming katunggali na gawin nang maayos ito at sundin ang desisyon ng Comelec (We want Mendoza to peacefully step down. We appeal to him to do this in an orderly way and follow Comelec's decision)," he said. "Marami pang kayang gawin sa loob ng anim na buwan. Ang mga programang ginawa natin noon ay ipagpapatuloy nating muli (We can do a lot in six months. We will continue doing the things we did before)," he added. Pagdanganan, who sought to another term as provincial governor in 2007, initially lost to Mendoza, brother of another former Bulacan governor, Josie Mendoza. The former Agrarian Reform secretary filed an election protest in May 2007 and demanded for a recount. - Andreo Calonzo/RSJ, GMANews.TV
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