Pampanga mayoral row not over; SC rule awaited

By Ding Cervantes

MABALACAT CITY – The former mayor of this city is not giving up the fight to regain his seat.

Marino Morales, who was unseated after the Commission on Elections installed a new mayor last month, is waiting for the Supreme Court decision on his petition to stop the implementation of the Comelec ruling, his lawyer Romulo Macalintal said Wenesday.

“We will follow up next week since the Supreme Court was busy with martial law cases and the election protest of Sen. Ferdinand Marcos,” Macalintal said. Macalintal said they filed the petition two weeks before provincial board member Cris Garbo, who obtained the second highest number of votes, took his oath as city mayor. 

In a resolution approved by all commissioners in May, the poll body disqualified Morales, saying he had served for three terms.

Meanwhile, Garbo said he is confident the high tribunal would affirm the Comelec ruling.