SC: Mar Roxas is duly elected LP president

Vice presidential bet Sen. Manuel “Mar" Roxas II is the duly elected president of the Liberal Party (LP), the Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday. In a 12-page decision, the court junked the petition filed by expelled LP president, former Environment Secretary Jose “Lito" Atienza Jr., to invalidate Roxas’ election as party president. Instead, the SC said the Commission on Elections (Comelec) did not abuse its discretion when it upheld in June 18, 2008 Roxas’ election without ruling on Atienza’s expulsion from the party. The court said the Comelec exercised judicial restraint in what was essentially an internal party matter. “Such expulsion is for the moment an issue of party membership and discipline, in which the Commission on Elections cannot intervene given the limited scope of its power over political parties," the SC decision read. In the same decision, the high court also ruled that Atienza and other expelled LP members failed to substantiate their allegations that they were kicked out of the party without due process by the LP’s National Executive Council (NECO). “While petitioners Atienza et al claim that the majority of LP members belong to their faction, they did not specify who these members were and how their numbers could possibly affect the composition of the NECO and the outcome of its election of party leaders," the decision read. Those who were expelled from the party were known supporters of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, namely Reps. Matias Defensor (Quezon City); Rodolfo Valencia (Oriental Mindoro); Danilo Suarez (Quezon province); Solomon Chungalao (Ifugao); former congressmen Harlin Cast-Abayon (Northern Samar; Melvin Macusi (La Union), and Eleazar Quinto (former Environment chief and LP director general). The LP split into two factions in 2005 after one group led by Senate President Franklin Drilon withdrew its support for President Arroyo in the wake of the “Hello, Garci" scandal where she was accused of manipulating the results of the 2004 elections to favor her and her allies. The LP is fielding Sen. Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III as its standard-bearer in the May 10 elections. - Andreo Calonzo/KBK, GMANews.TV