MABALACAT, Pampanga – The Commission on Elections has disqualified the
mayor of this city, reputed to be the longest serving in the country.
In a 17-page resolution signed by all commissioners, the
poll body recently granted the petition seeking the cancellation of the
certificate of candidacy (COC) of Marino Morales and ordered the local board of
canvassers to administer the oath of Cris Garbo, who obtained the second
highest number of votes, as new city mayor.
The Comelec said Morales was disqualified from running in
last year’s elections because he had served for three consecutive terms from
2007 to 2013.
The full commission noted that the first division of the
Comelec, in its ruling issued last Aug. 3, cancelled the COC and ordered the
local board of canvassers to annul the proclamation of Morales. Morales was
proclaimed after garnering 40,174 votes against Garbo’s 17,710.
In a telephone interview, Morales said he would seek
relief from the Supreme Court.
Garbo for his part, said he would file a motion for the
immediate implementation of the Comelec ruling.
Morales was elected mayor of Mabalacat in 1995. He
was removed from office months before the 2007 elections, but regained his
seat. He argued that while he had served for three terms as mayor, he served
only for a term as city mayor.
Mabalacat became a city only on July 21, 2012 by virtue
of Republic Act 10164.
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