Longest-serving mayor faces disqualification

MABALACAT, Pampanga -- The city mayor reputed to be the longest serving in the country faces disqualification.

In a 12-page petition, Crisostomo Garbo asked the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to nullify the proclamation of Mabalacat, Pampanga Mayor Marino Morales, saying he had served for three terms.

Morales was proclaimed after garnering 40,174 votes against Garbo’s 17,710.

Garbo said Morales is “ineligible and constitutionally barred” from serving another term.

“Though he won by a landslide… he cannot override the constitutional requirements,” Garbo said.

Morales was elected mayor of Mabalacat in 1995.  He was removed from office months before the 2007 elections, but regained his seat and served for three terms.

Garbo said Morales withdrew his certificate of candidacy in October and was replaced by his common-law-wife.

“Surprisingly, Morales substituted his uncle Wilfredo Feliciano as the official mayoralty bet of AksyonDemokratiko and will now serve his fourth consecutive term,” Garbo said.