LP bet questions DQ leak poll ruling

By Marie A. Surbano

02/09/2010

Liberal Party bet Abraham Mitra petitioned Monday the Commission on Elections (Comelec) questioning the leakage of the draft resolution on the disqualification case filed against him by his opponent in the province of Palawan.

Mitra, through his lawyer Sixto Brillantes, lodged a “manifestation with expression of apprehension” to the Comelec after his camp obtained a draft decision of the disqualification case filed by a certain Antonio Gonzales and Orlando Balbon Jr. who claimed Mitra was not eligible to run for the governorship of Palawan.

Mitra is the standard bearer of LP for the gubernatorial post in Palawan.

In a petition, Mitra asserted that the draft resolution was not signed by the members of the first division headed by Commissioner Rene Sarmiento together with Commissioners Gregorio Larrazabal and Ronaldo Velasco.

The petition also noted that Mitra’s rival billionaire Pepito Alvarez had been spreading the reports that the former congressman of Palawan will be disqualified by the Comelec.

“This shall likewise serve as an expression of apprehension and deep concern of respondent on the existence of probable irregularities respecting the above case and the said existing circulating draft and its possible repercussions on the official resolution scheduled to be promulgated,” he noted.

According to the two complainants, Mitra is a resident of Puerto Princesa, whose residents do not vote for governor of Palawan because it is not a component city of the province since 2007, and not of the town of Aborlan. They added that Mitra had transferred his residency to Aborlan early last year.

Brillantes, on the other hand, believed that this is a demolition job against his client.

For his part, Commissioner Larrazabal said there is no resolution yet on the case but he stressed that the draft decision obtained by Mitra was different from what they have drafted.

Larrazabal also divulged that they have ordered an investigation on the matter and will ask Brillantes as well as Congressman Mitra how they get the falsified copy of the draft decision.

“We were informed about that and we are already conducting an investigation why this happened. I would like to know from lawyer Brillantes how he got the copy and who gave Congressman Mitra a copy of that one and why a supposed draft was released. We didn’t release drafts,” Larrazabal declared.

Larrazabal also revealed that initial information they received indicated that the draft decision came from Congress.

Meanwhile, the Comelec official said the document could either come from the respondent or the petitioner themselves.

“It can work both ways. It my work for the petitioners or the respondent... it depends on how you use it,” he said.

But Larrazabal said they are looking at issuing the resolution this week on the disqualification case.

“The case will be decided this week,” he added.

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