Surigao Norte lawmaker's win upheld

BUTUAN CITY, Philippines – The Second Division of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has upheld the victory of Surigao del Norte second district Rep. Guillermo Romarate Jr. as it dismissed a petition filed by a rival in the May 2010 polls for lack of merit.

In an eight-page decision signed by Comelec Commissioners Elias Yusoph and Lucenito Tagle dated March 27, a copy of which was furnished The STAR, the Second Division said the petitioner, former Surigao City mayor Alfonso Casurra, failed to present substantial evidence to support his allegation that the canvassing of the Provincial Board of Canvassers was done in a precipitate manner.

In its resolution, the Second Division added that the petition was in fact a mixture of a pre-proclamation controversy and an election protest over which the poll body has no jurisdiction.

It noted the fact that Romarate was proclaimed the winner and has already begun serving his second term, contradicting any claim of pre-proclamation controversy by Casurra.