Stop recall polls, Puerto Princesa mayor asks SC

MANILA, Philippines - Mayor Lucilo Bayron of Puerto Princesa has asked the Supreme Court (SC) to stop the Commission on Elections (Comelec) from resolving a petition to recall his election.

In a 34-page petition for review filed earlier this week, Bayron said the poll body committed grave abuse of discretion in issuing Resolution 9864, which affirmed the sufficiency of the recall petition.

He said the poll body erred in dismissing his argument that the petition violated the period prescribed under paragraph (b), Section 74 of the Local Government Code, which prohibits the filing of recall petitions within one year from the date of the official’s assumption.

 Bayron said the Comelec also failed to conduct an independent assessment and evaluation of the sufficiency of the recall petition.

He said the recall petition was defective since the attached signature sheets did not contain the required narration of facts, adding that the poll body erred when it failed to rule that the required percentage of signatories should be based on the number of registered voters and not the voting population. 

Alroben Goh filed the recall petition against Bayron, citing the alleged deterioration of peace and order in the city and poor tourism performance. A total of 40,409 voters signed the petition. 

The SC ordered the Comelec to proceed with the recall petition against Bayron last November.