6 hours ago
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BENGUET — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) Second Division has lifted the suspension order on the proclamation of congressman-elect Eric Go Yap for the lone district in the province.
In a two-page order, the Second Division has dismissed the complaint after the petitioner failed to establish that Yap committed material representation regarding his qualification when he indicated in his certificate of candidacy that he is a natural born Filipino citizen.
“Courts and tribunals are not venues for fishing expeditions or trial by innuendo. To entertain a petition built on unproven claims is to erode the very foundations of justice,” reads the Second Division resolution.
It added the petition had utterly failed to discharge the burden and that not a single piece of documentary, testimonial, or circumstantial evidence has been adduced to support his claims against Yap.
“This glaring omission not only renders the petition fatally defective, but also betrays a troubling lack of diligence and candor in invoking the processes of the honorable commission,” the resolution added.
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With this, the Second Division has ordered the Benguet Board of Canvassers to reconvene and proclaim Yap as the duly elected congressman of Benguet.
The petitioners have five days from receipt of the Comelec resolution to file a motion for reconsideration.
To recall, Yap has garnered 144,093 votes from the 13 towns of Benguet while his rival, Vice Gov. Ericson Felipe, garnered 62,371 votes.
Yap also led his United Benguet Team to a landslide victory in the provincial seats with Gov. Melchor Diclas winning in his reelection bid while Board Member Rose Kepes won as vice governor.
Earlier, Yap has assured Benguet residents he will answer in proper forum the charges filed against him.
“Another disqualification case was filed against me. It’s the seventh already. Again, the petition questions my citizenship, with no proof to back up the claims,” Yap said.
Three of the seven disqualification cases were already dismissed by the Comelec.
