Comelec urged to decide on Gomez recall

MANILA, Philippines — The main petitioners and signatories in the recall petition against San Juan Mayor Guia Gomez urged the Commission on Elections (Comelec) yesterday to act on their petition.

In a prayer rally at the Comelec head office in Intramuros, Manila yesterday, the supporters of defeated mayoral bet Francis Zamora urged the poll body to allow the recall election process in San Juan to proceed without further delay.

The Comelec should rule on the motion of reconsideration filed by Gomez so the verification of the signatures in the recall petition would proceed and the people of San Juan would decide who would be their mayor through the recall election, the protesters said.

The Comelec ruled in November 2017 that the recall petition against Gomez was sufficient in form and substance.

The Comelec election officer in San Juan tried several times to serve the resolution but only succeeded by sending it through the mail. It was received by Gomez on Jan. 12 and she filed her motion for reconsideration on Jan. 18.

At least 30,000 residents of San Juan filed the recall petition.

Comelec spokesman James Jimenez cried foul over accusations by Zamora’s camp that the poll body was sitting on the recall petition.   

 “It hasn’t been a month yet, and the Comelec will not rush to a decision,” he said.