Comelec might settle '07 election protests before January 10 - Melo

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said Monday that it is inclined to settle the pending 2007 electoral protests before this year’s election period starts on January 10. If the poll body does not act on the motions for execution filed by candidates that won 2007 election protests, “the next polls will catch up with us," Comelec Chairman Jose Melo told reporters in an interview on Monday. Melo issued the statement after supporters of former Agrarian Reform chief Roberto Pagdanganan stormed the Comelec to seek the immediate seating of the former cabinet member as the “rightful" governor of Bulacan. Earlier, the Comelec Second Division unseated governors Jonjon Mendoza of Bulacan and Grace Padaca of Isabela [See: Comelec: Pagdanganan won as Bulacan gov in '07 and Comelec unseats Padaca as governor of Isabela] The victories of Mendoza and Padaca in the 2007 polls were questioned by their political rivals Pagdanganan and Benjamin Dy of the powerful Dy clan in Isabela. The two newly-declared governors have asked the poll body to immediately execute the Second Division’s decisions. But the camps of Mendoza and Padaca filed their motions for reconsideration (MR), prohibiting the Comelec to carry out the rulings. Both cases are pending with the Comelec en banc. Melo, however, said that he is inclined to execute the ruling despite the MRs filed. “Kung maikli na lang yung period na natitira (If there is only little time left during the term of the disputed position), there is ground for execution pending appeal," he said. He said that this is because it would be unfair should the protesting party, if proven the real winner, could not assume his post which he had supposedly won in the first place. “Regardless of personalities, tapos isang araw nakaupo, hindi nakaupo (could only assume office for one day, or maybe not at all), where is the justice there? You have to balance everything," he said. Meanwhile, the Comelec’s Second Division is expected to promulgate on Thursday the decision on a similar electoral protest filed against Pampanga Governor Ed Panlilio in 2007 by former provincial board member Lilia Pineda. - Kimberly Jane T. Tan, GMANews.TV