Pamatong finally gets jail time

MANILA, Philippines - Apparently fed up with his antics, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) is mulling disbarment proceedings against lawyer Elly Pamatong and declaring him as a perpetual nuisance candidate.

The Comelec cited Pamatong in contempt and ordered his detention for 10 days at the Manila City Jail after he earned the ire of the poll body during yesterday’s promulgation of the disqualification petitions against President Arroyo and former President Joseph Estrada.

Shortly after the Comelec dismissed the petitions of Pamatong for lack of merit, the lawyer went into hysterics and branded the poll body executives as thieves.

“We should have dismissed his antics but what he did (yesterday) during the hearing was unforgivable... it was in utter disrespect to the Commission,” said Commissioner Nicodemo Ferrer, presiding over the Comelec’s Second Division.

Apart from the jail time, Pamatong was also slapped a P200 fine.

In the course of the hearing, Pamatong suddenly stood up and took the podium, accusing Ferrer and Commissioners Elias Yusoph and Lucenito Tagle of being “thieves.”

Pamatong then turned his back on the panel but continued shouting “mga magnanakaw kayo (you are all thieves)!” in the direction of other poll officials.

Yusoph promptly ordered security men to prevent Pamatong from getting out the session hall and place him under arrest.

The Comelec cited Pamatong in contempt and ordered his detention for 10 days at the Manila City Jail. He was also given a P200 fine.

Ferrer later told reporters that the Comelec is mulling to have Pamatong disbarred for his errant behavior.

Ferrer revealed the poll body might also call on the Supreme Court for the “perpetual disqualification” of Pamatong and prevent him from running in any elective position in future elections.

“It has become ministerial for us to accept his certificate of candidacy (COC) but if we can get an order from the Supreme Court that he should be perpetually disqualified, then maybe in the coming elections once he filed his COC, we can immediately not allow him,” Ferrer said.

The self-proclaimed international lawyer was among the over 90 people that have been disqualified by the Comelec in the May presidential elections as nuisance candidates.

Pamatong, for his part, appealed the decision, asserting that he is a better alternative than any presidential candidate.

Pamatong claimed he topped the American Bar examinations after graduating from the University of the Philippines and Silliman University.

Pamatong ran for president in 2004 but was disqualified by the Comelec. He also ran as Pampanga governor in 2007 but lost.

As a sign of protest for his disqualification in 2004, Pamatong handcuffed himself to the gates of the Comelec.

Pamatong later went underground and scattered metal spikes along Metro Manila’s roads.

After he was tracked down and arrested at a safe house in Laguna, Pamatong confessed to have perpetrated the “spike attacks” that damaged at least a hundred vehicles.