MABALACAT CITY – Election lawyer and senatorial candidate Romulo Macalintal is “optimistic” the Supreme Court will have a favorable decision on the electoral protest of former Mayor Marino “Boking” Morales.
“We are optimistic the decision of the Supreme Court is favorable to Mayor Morales,” according to Macalintal who met members of the Pampanga Press Club at Bale Balita in Clark Freeport Zone recently.
The SC decision will come out anytime, said Macalintal.
Morales has stepped down as mayor of this city in 2017 after he received the ‘writ of execution’ from the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).
Morales received the DILG order to “cease and desist from performing the functions as Mayor of Mabalacat City” from DILG Regional Director Myrvi A. Fabia, CESO V, at the Mabalacat City Hall Annex inside the Clark Freeport Zone.
In a letter dated June 19, 2017, Fabia served copies of the following: 1. Certified true copy of the August 3, 2016 Resolution of the Comelec 1stDivision; 2. Certified true copy of the May 26, 2017 Resolution of the Comelec En Banc; and 3. Writ of Execution of the Comelec En Banc dated June 8, 2017.
Indignant supporters of Morales were dismayed by the Comelec decision saying the latter disenfranchised more than 40,000 voters who supported the highly popular local executive.
Morales is now running for vice mayor in Mabalacat City and is seen to win by a wide margin.