Comelec to study SC ruling on Mamba case

Cagayan Governor Manuel Mamba. Photo courtesy of Provincial Government of Cagayan/FileMANILA — Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman George Garcia said the poll body has not yet received a copy of the Supreme Court (SC) decision reversing the dismissal of a petition to disqualify Cagayan Governor Manuel Mamba from the May 2022 local elections.

READ: Comelec division disqualifies Cagayan Governor Mamba for violating spending ban

The SC also remanded the case to the Comelec en banc for proper disposition of the case. 

Garcia said the poll body will comply with the SC decision even as it will study if the poll body will file a motion for reconsideration.

He said the petition to disqualify Mamba was dismissed due to technicality but that the poll body is ready to resolve the case based on its merits.

"In our case kung sakali pong wala naman kaming issue na doon sa desisyon ng Korte Supreme kami ay tatalima kaagad at titingnan natin kung may period ba yung sinabi ng Korte Suprema para i-resolve namin yung kaso, the merits,” Garcia said.

The Comelec, he said, will look at the SC decision to see if the case has to be remanded to the Comelec division concerned or to the en banc.

Meantime, asked about delays in the resolution of disqualification cases in Comelec, Garcia said:  “Nagsimula po yan sa 9,000 na kaso, siyam na libo kumpara sa 1,000 na lang na natitira, di hamak naman po kahit paano kumpara sa, ito pong, present leadership ng Comelec, napakabilis pa rin natin mag-resolve, considering po na ang inyong lingkod ay dalawang taon pa lang dito sa Comelec.”

He added the remaining 1,000 cases are now at the level of motion for reconsideration at the en banc and already done at the division level.