By Tetch Torres, Dona Pazzibugan
INQUIRER.net, Philippine Daily Inquirer
The Supreme Court ruled that Joselito Mendoza remains as Bulacan Governor.
During its full court session Tuesday morning, the high court voted 9-4 with two abstentions to overrule the Commission on Elections en banc's March 5 decision declaring Roberto Pagdanganan as the official winner in the 2007 Bulacan gubernatorial elections.
In a decision penned by Associate Justice Jose Perez, the high court said the Comelec committed “grave abuse of discretion,†according to high court spokesman Jose Midas Marquez, who announced the court’s vote ahead of the release of the actual resolution.
At the same time, Marquez said, “We just want to avert any violence because based on reports, violence might erupt anytime in Bulacan.â€
All 15 justices cast their vote, including Chief Justice Reynato Puno, who is on a two-week leave, said Marquez.
Marquez said the aggrieved party has 15 days to file an appeal.
The high court prioritized the Bulacan case after it issued a “status quo ante†order last March 11 to allow Mendoza to stay in his post pending the resolution of his petition to set aside the Comelec's order.
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