VOL. 8 ISSUE 223 • THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2016
P 15.00 • 20 PAGES
www.edgedavao.net
DQs JUNKED Duterte camp lauds Comelec decision to dismiss 4 disqualification cases
EDGEDAVAO Serving a seamless society
WATCHFUL. Two women walk by the watchful eyes of a colorful mural of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte along McArthur Highway in Matina, Davao City. The camp of Duterte is now on its final preparation for the upcoming national campaign period which will start on February 9 as the disqualification cases filed against the mayor were dismissed by the Commission on Election (Comelec) yesterday. Lean Daval Jr.
By CHARLES RAYMOND A. MAXEY
T
HE camp of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte yesterday welcomed the decision of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) First Division to dismissall the petitions seeking to disqualify him from the presidential race. “As the mayor has stated in the past, he is confident that his certificate of candidacy (CoC) was proper, legal, and can stand legal scrutiny,” said Peter T. Laviña, head of Duterte’s media bureau. “We continue to respect the legal processes and call on the Comelec to dismiss with finality all the petitions to disqualify Duterte as candidate
for president. In the light of this recent development, we call on our supporters to continue to pray and resist and expose vicious black propaganda circulating that Duterte would be disqualified,” he added. The Comelec on Wednesday said it had arrived at a unanimous decision to deny the petitions. First Division presiding Commissioner Christian Robert Lim announced the verdict at a press conference. The petitioners will be given five days to appeal the First Division decision to the full commission following the promulgation of the decision.
The four petitionersare broadcaster Ruben Castor, student leader JP delas Nieves, Ely Pamatong, and Rizalito David. The Comelec decision to junk all the four petitions came six days before the campaign period starts for the May 9 electoral exercise. For his part, Davao City First District Rep. Karlo Alexei Nograles said he is “overjoyed” by the Comelec’s decision especially since it was unanimous. “This is a resounding signal to all who have stayed the course that we are on the right path. It is also a clarion call to all those who have been ten-
tative; this is the moment you have been waiting for,” Nograles said in his Facebook account. He said with no more legal impediments to Duterte’s candidacy,“we expect more support from the grassroots and local leaders.” “The timing is perfect. With this chapter coming to a close, and the official national campaign about to begin, we shall now consolidate the forces between those who have been with us and those who are going to join us. We expect nothing less than an increase in groundswell for Duterte’s brand of leadership. Change is coming,” Nograles said.
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