SC retains Maliksi as Cavite mayor

MANILA, Philippines - The Supreme Court (SC) has allowed Imus, Cavite Mayor Emmanuel Maliksi to keep his post despite a Commission on Elections (Comelec) ruling proclaiming his rival, Homer Saquilayan, as the winner in the 2010 elections.

In a decision issued yesterday, the high tribunal court did not lift the temporary restraining order (TRO) it issued last October stopping the Comelec from proclaiming Saquilayan as the winner in the mayoral election.

Saquilayan decried the ruling as an ”injustice.”

He was accompanied by at least 100 supporters when he went to the SC yesterday to seek immediate resolution of the case.

“The Supreme Court is supposed to be where those crying for justice should run for help. My case is different. I am the victim of injustice and the SC stopped service of my justice,” Saquilayan said.

“The TRO should favor the aggrieved party. I am the aggrieved party here… The Comelec has already spoken. I won in the election and I have to fight for the right of the voters,” he added.

The Comelec earlier affirmed the findings of its First Division declaring Saquilayan as the winner in the 2010 mayoral race after a recount of votes in contested precincts showed that he garnered 48,521 votes or 8,429 more than Maliksi’s 40,092.

The poll body ruled on Saquilayan’s petition questioning the ruling of Imus Regional Trial Court Judge Cesar Mangrobang last November annulling his proclamation and declaring Maliksi as the mayor of Imus City.