FILE / Albay Gov. Noel Rosal (facebook photo)
LEGAZPI CITY – Albay Governor Noel Rosal said, in a text message to Inquirer Sunday, November 27, that he remains hopeful the Supreme Court will issue a temporary restraining order (TRO) in his favor against the finality of the disqualification ruling meted against him by the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
Rosal, who is facing accusations of violating the Omnibus Election Code’s mandate against vote-buying before the recent May polls, was dealt another blow when Comelec on Friday, November 26, issued the “certificate of finality” declaring the en banc’s November 18 resolution “final and executory.”
“Still hoping for the TRO,” Rosal simply said in his text message, responding to requests for his comment.
He also did not elaborate the status of the request for TRO which he filed on November 21.
According to Comelec’s “certificate of finality,” “No restraining order has been issued by the Supreme Court within five (5) days from receipt of the parties of the Resolution that would preclude 18 November 2022 Resolution of this Commission (En Banc) from being final and executory.”
As of Sunday, Rosal is not yet stepping down from office as a writ of execution is yet to be issued by officials from the Department of the Interior and Local Government connected to the Comelec decision.
Vice Governor Grex Lagman is set to become governor of Albay should Rosal be finally told to leave office based on the rule of succession.
Lagman also refused to make any statement regarding the possible scenario.
On Friday, Civil Disturbance Management personnel of Albay police were deployed to the Albay capitol after rumors began circulating that a rally will be staged against Rosal’s administration. The rumors turned out to be untrue. MICHAEL B. JAUCIAN INQ
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