Palawan recall campaign to proceed

The Commission on Elections will proceed with verifying more than 150,000 signatures gathered for a campaign to remove Palawan Gov. Abraham Kahlil Mitra in a recall process, telling the 30 supporters of the governor who rallied at the Comelec yesterday to claim irregularities in the recall move that their word cannot be taken at face value.

“When a party claims that the signatories are not residents [of Palawan], this cannot be taken on his word,” said James Jimenez, Comelec spokesperson.

“That’s why verification is necessary so that it could be seen if the allegations are correct and for the checking of the signatories against Comelec’s registry of voters,” he told reporters.

The 30 supporters of Mitra said during the rally that Palawan voters who signed the recall petition were deceived into believing that they were signing a petition against mining.

Cesar Ventura, head of the group Kilusang Love Malampaya (KLM) that gathered the signatures, said Mitra’s group should allow the recall process to move.

“Those who signed the petition knew what they were signing and for what purpose,” Ventura said in a statement.

“Let the verification process begin, no more beating around the bush,” said Ventura.

Hasty decision

According to Jimenez, the Comelec regional office should start the verification process as soon as possible.

He said the verification should be completed before May 13 because the law prohibits the holding of recall elections a year before the next general elections, which are scheduled in 2013.

Bert Gabo, speaking for the group Palaweños for Good Governance which rallied at the Comelec, accused the Comelec of hastiness in deliberating on the recall petition. It was highly suspect, said Gabo.

Gabo said Mitra was denied due process.

Jimenez, however, said the next step that the Comelec would take was to form a verification committee because the process has to be finished before May 13.

Jimenez said instead of holding a rally at the Comelec, the group of 30 supporters of Mitra should instead monitor the verification process to prove their claim that the gathering of signatures had been done irregularly.