Supreme Court allows Asistio to run for Caloocan mayor

MANILA, Philippines - The Supreme Court (SC) yesterday allowed former Caloocan congressman Luis “Baby” Asistio to join the mayoralty race in the city this May.

In a minute resolution, the High Court issued a “status quo” order stopping the implementation of a Caloocan Metropolitan Trial Court (MTC) ruling to remove Asistio’s name from the voters’ list.

“This means he can run (for mayor),” SC spokesman Midas Marquez announced to reporters.

Asistio brought his case to the High Court after the Caloocan Regional Trial Court dismissed his appeal to reverse an MTC order for the removal of his name from the local voters’ list in favor of his rival, re-electionist Mayor Enrico Echiverri.

Caloocan RTC Presiding Judge Thelma Canlas-Pe on Feb. 15 dismissed Asistio’s petition because of his failure to pay docket fees on time.

In his petition for review at the SC, Asistio accused Canlas-Pe of grave abuse of discretion because he was denied due process and that he paid docket fees on time.

Echiverri filed the petition before the Caloocan MTC to exclude Asistio from the voters’ list, alleging that Asistio was no longer a resident of Caloocan City.

– Edu Punay