Danao mayor set to file counter recall petition

CEBU, Philippines - The camp of Danao City Mayor Ramon “Boy” Durano Jr. is set to file a counter-petition for recall against his elder brother Vice Mayor Ramon “Nito” Durano III and all the members of Danao City Council next week.

Lawyer Gloria Lastimosa-Dalawampu told reporters yesterday that she has yet to confer with Boy but she was already informed of the 35,000 signatures they have gathered, more than the 31,000 signatures gathered by the camp of Nito.

Nito presented last Monday to the Commission on Elections a copy of their petition signed by 31,000 residents of the city in the northern part of Cebu.

“It will be a battle royale, alegre ang Danao,” said Dalawampu, who is Boy’s counsel.

Dalawampu cited some grounds such as usurpation of functions by Nito on the functions of the mayor who is now facing several usurpation cases regarding disbursement vouchers and checks by himself and other usurpation cases of disbursement vouchers involving his son, Thomas Mark, who was then the private secretary of Boy, in favor of the two daughters of Nito, Carmen Remedios Durano-Meca and Ramonit Cynthia Mahinay, who are members of the council.

“We have many grounds but we have to iron out the grounds yet,” Dalawampu said.

She said they will be finalizing the petition this weekend and expect to file it on Monday or Tuesday.

Dalawampu, who just arrived from Manila, visited the Comelec provincial office yesterday to ask for an unofficial copy of the petition for recall filed by Nito.

But Danao City Election Registrar Dominic Ian Marigomen told Dalawampu that they cannot yet give a copy of the petition as it has to be forwarded to Comelec Manila first. He said a copy of the petition can be furnished to the respondent after the Comelec en banc determines the sufficiency of the petition.

The Comelec is now verifying if the signatories are duly registered voters.

Marigomen said if Boy’s camp files their petition, it will also pass through the same procedures but they still have to finish verifying the 31,000 signatures for Nito.

It’s tedious work but we have to do it,” Marigomen said.

The Comelec started name verification last Tuesday and expects to finish it within ten days.

Marigomen added that same period will be given to Boy if his petition is filed against Nito.

The Comelec requires at least 15 percent of the voters to sign a recall petition for it to be given due course.

There were a total of 78,972 voters in Danao City as of the elections last year. (FREEMAN)