Comelec division junks election protest case vs Quezon governor

LUCENA CITY, Philippines—A division of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has dismissed the electoral protest filed by former Quezon Rep. Irvin Alcala (LP) against incumbent Gov. David Suarez (NUP).

Suarez defeated Alcala in the race for governor in the last elections with a margin of 59,952 votes.

In the entry of judgment from the Comelec Electoral Contests Adjudication Department (ECAD) dated Nov. 4, the Comelec’s First Division ruled that the protest was dismissed for Alcala’s failure to pay the required cash deposit.

The Comelec division also said: “Considering that no motion for reconsideration was filed by protestant Irvin Alcala within the prescribed period under the 1993 Comelec Rules of Procedure … the order of dismissal issued by the commission (First Division) dated Oct. 17, 2013, is now final and executory.”

The decision, a copy of which was obtained by the Inquirer, was signed by Betty Pizaña, ECAD-director IV.

A week after the elections, Alcala had publicly conceded defeat in a local radio station but changed his mind later and filed the election protest.

Alcala claimed that Suarez cheated through vote-buying and overspending, among many other allegations.

Suarez said he was not disturbed by Alcala’s “baseless” protest since he won the elections “fair and square.”

“My focus ever since is to pursue the developmental projects and programs for the benefit of the people,” the governor said.

Alcala is the eldest son of Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala.