Recall move takes next step to unseating Samar gov, vice gov

TACLOBAN CITY—The provincial office of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Samar will start verifying the signatures of over 73,000 voters on a recall petition against the province’s governor and vice governor.

Maria Corazon Montallana, provincial elections supervisor, yesterday said the verification process would start on Nov. 8 as ordered by the central office of the Comelec.

The order was signed by Bartolome Sino Cruz, Comelec executive director for operations, on Oct. 28. The verification of signatures will be conducted from Nov. 8 to Nov. 24.

At least 73,889 persons signed the recall petition against Samar Gov. Sharee Ann Tan while 73,250 others signed a separate petition against her brother, Vice Gov. Stephen James Tan.

The recall petition against the Tan siblings was filed on

Dec. 7, 2010, by Aurelio Bardaje (main petitioner against Governor Tan) and Elvisa Lopez (main petitioner against the vice governor) at the provincial Comelec office based in Catbalogan City.

The Tan siblings were accused of being “incompetent” to lead the province. The recall petitions claimed that the two siblings just follow the orders of their mother, Rep. Milagros Tan, who was former governor suspended for 90 days during her term for graft.

The siblings denied the allegations and maintained that the recall petition was purely political.

Montallana said municipal  election officials would conduct the verification of signatures.

The signatures of those who signed the petition would be compared with their signatures in the Comelec’s book of records, voter registration records and the election day computerized voters’ list.

For the recall bid to succeed, the petitioners should have verified 45,000 signatures, or about 10 percent of the entire voting population of Samar, Montallana said.

After the verification is complete, Montallana said she would submit her report to Executive Director Sino Cruz who would certify if the required number of signatures had been met.

If verified, Montallana added, the Comelec would set the schedule of the elections and other related activities.