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Online petition seeks Comelec exec's resignation


An online petition has been launched, seeking the resignation of an election commissioner who has been criticized for unseating popular non-administration officials. Kaya Natin, a movement that claims to help bring genuine change and ethical leadership in the Philippines, seeks the resignation Commissioner Nicodemo Ferrer, who currently presides over Commission on Election’s Second Division. The said division had earlier unseated two Liberal Party (LP) governors: Grace Padaca of Isabela and Joselito Mendoza of Bulacan. LP local executives Pampanga Governor Ed Panlilio and Naga City Mayor Jesse Robredo have both said they expect to suffer the same fate as the two. Like Padaca and Mendoza, Panlilio’s victory in the 2007 polls and Robredo’s citizenship are both being questioned at the Second Division. “We are therefore calling for the immediate resignation or impeachment of Commissioner Ferrer who has shown incompetence as the presiding officer of the Second Division by subscribing not to the laws of the land, but to lawless hands," said the group, which was established with the initiative of Robredo, Padaca, and Panlilio. The group asserted that Padaca, a Ramon Magsaysay awardee, had shown "excellent, competent, and ethical leadership" for the past six years in Isabela, adding that she clearly does not have the political machinery to commit electoral fraud against opponent Benjamin Dy in the 2007 polls. “Her integrity is unquestionable and the mere suggestion of electoral fraud against her is downright preposterous," it said. Earlier, LP allies asserted that the Comelec, through Ferrer, was weeding out their local executives in the conduct of “vendetta politics." Both Padaca and Panlilio vowed to support LP’s standard bearer, Sen. Benigno Simeon “Noynoy" Aquino III in next year’s elections while Mendoza was unseated after his Partido del Pilar coalesced with LP for the 2010 polls. “We believe that this ruling is a travesty of justice and is a willful act by the current administration to tarnish the reputation of not only Governor Padaca, but other leaders of the opposition, particularly members of the Liberal Party," said Kaya Natin. Kaya Natin said interested parties may sign up for the online petition asking for the resignation of Ferrer at this website. They may also email their names and email addresses to oustferrernow@gmail.com. “Let us not take this blatant insult to our intelligence sitting down and let us show Arroyo and her allies that we will not tolerate corruption. This is a fight of the Filipinos on the side of the good to let the truth and the whole truth prevail," it said. Ferrer, for his part, just laughed off the whole thing. “I refuse to answer that. Ayaw kong patulan yang mga may sira ng ulo (I don’t want to engage crazy people)," he told GMANews.TV in a phone interview. Since the Padaca ruling, he has shied away from the media, saying that those who oppose his decisions should go to court and not to the media. According to his staff, Ferrer is currently in Pangasinan, his hometown. Earlier, Ferrer was also hit by the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) sector for denying the group Ang Ladlad of party-list accreditation, saying that they seem to be “promoting immorality." Asked why the Second Division seems to always end up with the most controversial cases, poll body Commissioner Rene Sarmiento, who presides the First Division, just said nothing was intentional, adding that they always “raffle off" the cases to ensure fairness in their decision-making. Among the signatories to the petition to oust Ferrer are Robredo, Bukidnon Rep. Teofisto Guingona III; Ifugao Governor Teodoro Baguilat, Jr.; San Isidro, Nueva Ecija Mayor Sonia Lorenzo; Tagudin, Ilocos Sur Mayor Roque Verzoza, Jr.; San Jose City, Nueva Ecija Mayor Marivic Belena; Santa Fe, Nueva Vizcaya Mayor Florante Gerdan; San Fernando, Camarines Sur Mayor Fermin Mabulo; Bindoy, Negros Oriental Vice Mayor Valente Yap; Quezon City Councilor Jorge Banal, Jr.; Davao City Councilor Mabel Sunga Acosta; former Bukidnon Rep. Nereus Acosta; and former Cabiao, Nueva Ecija Mayor Gloria Crespo Congco. - Kimberly Jane T. Tan with Andreo Calonzo, GMANews.TV

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