Mayoral claimant’s candidacy voided

SOLANO, Nueva Vizcaya — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has nullified the candidacy of one of the mayoral claimants here as a substitute for his late father, paving the way for his rival’s possible installation as the rightful mayor.

Lawyer Philip Dacayo, son of the late Mayor Heraldo Dacayo, however, said he would file a motion for reconsideration.

In its July 27 decision, a copy of which was obtained by The STAR, the Comelec recalled its Resolution 7259 which Dacayo has used as basis for claiming the Solano mayorship.

Dacayo is pitted against Vice Mayor-elect Santiago Dickson, who has invoked the law of succession in claiming the mayoralty post.

The Comelec said it is setting aside Resolution 7259, "there being no valid proclamation of Atty. Philip Dacayo when he took his oath of office, hence, it has no legal effect and shall be disregarded."

The Comelec based its decision on a memorandum of its provincial office, requesting that Resolution 7259 "be given a second look in order to put to rest the chaotic scenario being brought about by the Comelec main office declaring the existence of a valid substitution contrary to the records (of) the local office that there was no substitution at all."

Dacayo was sworn into office at the Comelec central office in Manila on June 30, the same day Resolution 7259, which affirmed his candidacy as substitute for his father, was promulgated.

Aside from Comelec chairman Benjamin Abalos, the resolution was also signed by Commissioners Rufino Javier, Mehol Sadain, Resurreccion Borra and Florentino Tuason Jr.

Dickson, for his part, took his oath of office as mayor also on June 30, with the concurrence of the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

Both Dickson and Dacayo acted as mayor until July 22 when Interior and Local Government Secretary Angelo Reyes designated Dickson as acting mayor until the mayoral impasse was resolved.

The leadership row stemmed from the death of the elder Dacayo on May 14, a day after he and Dickson, his running mate in the Lakas-CMD (Christian Muslim Democrats), were proclaimed mayor- and vice mayor-elect, respectively.

The young Dacayo claimed that he had met all the necessary requirements as a rightful and legal substitute for his late father. — Charlie Lagasca