Comelec issues certificate of finality on Legazpi City Mayor Rosal's disqualification
By Dhel Nazario
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) issued on Wednesday, May 10, a Certificate of Finality (CoF) and Entry of Judgment (EoJ) in relation to the disqualification of Carmen Geraldine Rosal as a candidate for Mayor of Legazpi City during the May 2022 polls.
In a message to reporters, Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia stated this is an order of execution and that they will issue a Writ of Execution by Thursday, May 11.
"(This is) to give the respondent an opportunity to reiterate the prayer for injunctive writ in the Supreme Court (SC)," Garcia explained.
"To my mind as a former practitioner, this is part of due process. Our resolution should be the full subject of scrutiny of the SC," he added.
He also explained that this order recognizes the finality and is the basis of the issuance of the Writ of Execution and that the writ is the directive to certain individuals and offices to implement the resolution like the secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).
To recall, the Comelec en banc decision dated May 4, 2023, which affirmed the disqualification of Rosal also proclaimed second-placer Alfredo A. Garbin, Jr. as the duly-elected Mayor of Legazpi City.
According to the statement sent by Comelec spokesman John Rex Laudiangco, the poll body's rules of procedure provides that decisions or resolutions of the Commission en banc becomes final and executory after five days from receipt unless restrained by the SC.
"With the case records showing that the en banc resolution has been duly served to the parties on 4 May 2023, and with no restraining order having been issued by the Supreme Court to date, the same has become final and executory with the issuance of the Certificate of Finality, and will be entered in the Book of Entries of Judgment," he said.
Laudiangco mentioned that the subject en banc resolution disqualified Rosal on the basis of finding her liable for giving money to influence, induce or corrupt the voters, in violation of Section 68 (a) of the Omnibus Election Code (OEC).
However, Garcia said that in case Rosal secures a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) from SC, no Writ of Execution will be issued.
On the other hand, if the resolution was already executed and there is already the assumption of the proclaimed new mayor but the SC issues a Status Quo Ante Order, then she may re-assume her post.