SC junks bid to void votes for Duterte

President elect Rodrigo Duterte delivers his speech during the thanksgiving party held at Crocodile Park, Ma-a, Davao City, June 4, 2016. PHOTO BY EDWIN BACASMAS

The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a petition seeking to nullify the votes for President-elect Rodrigo Duterte.

Petitioner Atty. Elly Pamatong also asked the high court to stop Duterte’s proclamation.

Pamatong said Duterte was not validly elected because his certificate of candidacy (COC) has not been approved.

He explained that with the pendency of disqualification cases against Duterte before the Commission on Elections (Comelec), he cannot be considered an official candidate “and such all votes cast in your (Duterte’s) favor were null and void ab initio (void from the beginning) and could not be mooted or held to have been ratified by the people.”

READ: Comelec body junks all DQ petitions vs Duterte

The high court dismissed the petition “on the ground that there is no showing of a clear legal right to the performance of the duty sought to be compelled by petitioner.”

Duterte was proclaimed the new President after garnering 16.6-million votes. RAM/rga

READ: Duterte seals presidency in Congress official tally