Move on na

Bencyrus Ellorin

WHILE things start to look brighter at City Hall with the local bureaucracy enthusiastic about the change that has started and is forthcoming, one side of local politics refuses to see the light.

Elections form part of the core of democracy as it gives the people, the sovereign, an opportunity to either renew or terminate the social contract of elected officials. Although results of the elections can be questioned, the last election was generally fair. Thus, the results should be respected as the voice of the people.

Naturally, there are winners and losers in elections. A few hours after the voting closed, 2nd District Rep. Rufus Rodriguez conceded defeat and acknowledged the reaffirmation through the vote Mayor Oscar Moreno’s leadership at City Hall. That act was not only gentlemanly, it also speaks of how the congressman respects democratic processes, and how he respects the voice of the people.

Former mayor Dongkoy Emano on the other hand refused to concede. He claimed he and Vice Mayor Ian Acenas were cheated, a claim he himself admits is difficult to prove. This makes the former mayor not only a sore loser, but disrespectful of the voice of the people.

Not content with the claim that they were cheated, the former political kingpin now wants the Commission on Election (Comelec) to proclaim him mayor, citing the Ombudsman ruling in the Ajinomoto case as his basis. In that case, the Ombudsman ordered Moreno and acting City Treasurer Glenn Banez dismissed from public service and perpetually barred from holding public office. Moreno had contested this ruling by filing a motion for reconsideration. By issuing temporary restraining order and the subsequent writ of preliminary injunction, the Court of Appeals recognized the fact that Moreno and Banez may suffer irreparable injury should the Ombudsman ruling be executed.

They know the law. But for purposes of propaganda, in order to prevent Moreno from uniting the people to support his development efforts, and to disturb work at City Hall, they filed a quo warranto case, which in effect asks the Comelec to reverse Moreno’s proclamation citing the supposed ruling of the Ombudsman to perpetually disqualify Moreno from getting elected.

Simple common sense would dictate that the ruling of the Ombudsman which consisted of dismissal and perpetual disqualification should be taken as a whole, as one ruling. But in order to sow confusion, Emano and his lawyers are in effect splitting the Ombudsman penalty into two: 1) dismissal, and 2) perpetual disqualification from office.

This should not suffice as implementing either of the two would still expose the mayor and the acting treasurer to possible irreparable injury. They know this. Emano and his lawyers are not dumb.

Through the decades Emano was in power, he demonstrated disdain for democratic processes. For him, it is one way–good only if it favors him. He does not care about conventions, rules. All he wants is to hold on to power no matter what.

Not at all surprising from someone who has been stripped of his position after a long trial by the Comelec proved that his election as governor, way back in 1995 was a farce.

This fact, Emano wants people to forget. He wants erased from history books that at one time, the Comelec unseated him as governor in late 1997 in recognition of the true winner of the 1995 election, Ruthie Guingona, who later became mayor of Gingoog City and currently the vice mayor-elect there.

Meanwhile, steam is building up at City Hall, waiting to be released as the renewed Moreno administration hits the start of its second term.

E-mail: bency.ellorin@gmail.com