It's final: Mendoza to stay as Bulacan governor

(Updated 7:20 p.m.) The Supreme Court has ruled with finality to allow Joselito "Jon-Jon" Mendoza to keep his post as governor of Bulacan province until June 20, 2010. Supreme Court spokesman Midas Marquez said that the high court, in a minute resolution, "denied with finality" the motion for reconsideration filed by Mendoza's rival, former Agrarian Reform Secretary Roberto Pagdanganan. Marquez said Pagdanganan failed to raise new issues that would warrant the court to reverse its March 23 ruling. In that decision, the court voted 9-4-2 upholding Mendoza’s mandate as Bulacan governor. The decision overturned a Commission on Elections (Comelec) resolution unseating him in favor of Pagdanganan, who asked the court on March 30 to reconsider its decision. Swift injustice Pagdanganan slammed the latest SC ruling although he admitted that he has yet to receive a copy of it. "The Supreme Court which has been known as the court of last resort has become a symbol of swift injustice," said Pangdangan, who is running for Congress representing Bulacan's first district in the May elections under the Nacionalista Party. In an interview with GMANews.TV, Pagdangan said he would just be "bringing [the matter] to the people of Bulacan." He maintained that the recount of that Comelec clearly showed he was the winner in the 2007 gubernatorial election in the province. In February, the Comelec upheld the ruling of its second division favoring Pagdanganan, but it was not executed because of lack of majority vote. More votes According to the poll body, Mendoza was unseated after a recount showed that Pagdanganan got 342,295 votes over his 337,974, a margin of 4,321 votes. Mendoza appealed the second division's decision but it was denied. The Comelec order installing Pagdanganan as Bulacan governor had caused supporters of Mendoza to barricade the provincial capitol and hold prayer rallies outside. The Comelec issued and served a writ of execution but a copy of which was only torn up by Mendoza's supporters. In its March 23 ruling, the Supreme Court said the Comelec committed grave abuse of discretion when it issued the writ of execution. Pagdanganan said the court ruling nullifying the Comelec ruling has just rendered the poll body "inutile." "Ayoko nang i-discuss ang issue ng majority vote... Ang issue na dito ay ang Supreme Court [The issue here is the Supreme Court itself and not the issue on majority of votes in the Comelec]," said Pagdanganan. 'Shadow of doubt' sequel Pagdanganan said Tuesday's SC ruling seemed to support allegations contained in the book, "Shadow of Doubt: Probing the Supreme Court," which was critical of the high court. The book, released last month, was written by Marites Danguilan-Vitug, editor-in-chief of the online news magazine Newsbreak. "This really reinforces what is called in the book as 'The shadow of doubt'. It weakens the confidence of the people on the Supreme Court," said Pagdanganan. In the book, Vitug discussed how members of the judiciary, who are perceived as impartial and independent, have allowed peers, relatives, the church, and even the appointing authority to influence their decisions. Pagdanganan said the SC ruling on Mendoza's governorship would make a "perfect" jump off point for what could be a follow-up to Vitug's book. "Iyong mga sinabi ni Marites, mukhang totoo. This will be a good material for a sequel. The SC seems to be the pillar of injustice... [The turn of events] is scripted," Pagdanganan said. – KBK, GMANews.TV