The Commission on Elections (Comelec) Second Division in Manila has dismissed the disqualification case lodged against the candidacy of Mabalacat Mayor Marino “Boking” Morales in the last elections.
The dismissal of the disqualification case against Morales, then a candidate of Aksyon Demokratiko, was widely accepted by the electorate.
Morales won in the last mayoral polls beating complainant Noelito Castro over a wide margin. Morales garnered 40,174 votes while Castro who landed at the 3rd slot bagged 10,788 votes.
The disqualification case was lodged by Castro on October 20, 2015 before the Office of the City Election Officer of Mabalacat City. In his petition, Castro sought to disqualify Morales in the upcoming elections alleging that Morales “violated the three-term limit rule.”
“Petitioner Castro seeks the cancellation of Morales’ COC on the ground that he has been elected to and has served as Mayor of Mabalacat for three (3) consecutive terms,” the Comelec 2nd Division stated.
“To be sure, other than his bare allegations, no evidence was submitted to prove the same. The basic rule is that he who alleges must prove his case. Petitioner Castro failed on this score.”
Presiding Commissioner Al Parreno approved the dismissal of Castro’s petition against Morales.
Morales was first elected as mayor back in 1995 during the much needed reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts in the former Mabalacat town after the Mt. Pinatubo eruptions. Under Morales’ stewardship, the conversion of the town into a component city in 2012 further raised revenues.
Under Morales’ administration, the Mabalacat City College and the Mabalacat Community High School were also established. Other achievements include the city’s 10-year solid waste management (SWM) plan from 2015 to 2024; permanent housing projects for victims of the Mt. Pinatubo eruptions in Barangays Mawaque, Camachile and Madapdap; and vital infrastructures such as the Mabiga Interchange.
Socio-civic and business leaders in the Mabalacat City have also thrown their support to Morales.