SC denies Samar execs’ appeal to stop recall petition

The Supreme Court on Wednesday said it has junked the petition of Samar Gov. Sharee Ann Tan and her brother Vice Gov. Stephen James Tan to stop the recall petition against them.

The Court dismissed the appeal to stop the recall because the Commission on Elections (Comelec) committed grave abuse of discretion.

The Court upheld the Comelec ruling that the recall was sufficient in form and substance. It rejected the Tans’ contention that a TRO was necessary because of “supervening events.”

On Aug. 27, the Comelec suspended the process of verifying more than 70,000 signatures on the recall petition upon the request of the Supreme Court, acting as Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET).

The order came after PET, which is hearing the election case filed by Transportation Secretary Mar Roxas against Vice President Jejomar Binay, wrote a letter to Comelec expressing concern that recall elections in Samar might affect the Roxas-Binay case.

The Tans were accused of incompetence and letting their mother, ex-governor and now Rep. Milagros Tan, of running the provincial government.

The Tans have repeatedly denied the accusation, saying the campaign to oust them was a simple power grab.