Comelec to rehear Mendoza's case

MANILA, Philippines - The Commission on Elections (Comelec) backpedalled yesterday in its earlier decision to unseat Bulacan Gov. Joselito Mendoza, saying they will rehear his case as they failed to get the required number of votes from commissioners to oust him.

Comelec Commissioner Nicodemo Ferrer said they need to get four concurring votes to oust Mendoza and declare his rival, former Bulacan governor Roberto Pagdanganan, as the duly elected governor of the province. Otherwise, the case must be heard again.

“We were not able to achieve the required four. So, what’s the procedure? That we have to schedule for a hearing (the) motion for reconsideration and (the) execution pending appeal. Rehearing on Monday,” he said.

Last Monday, the Comelec upheld the decision of its Second Division headed by Ferrer to invalidate Mendoza’s proclamation in the 2007 mid-term polls.

A Comelec resolution showed that Pagdanganan got 342,295 votes as against Mendoza’s 337,974, or a vote margin of 4,321 votes.