Ousted Laguna governor leaves capitol

MANILA, Philippines – Ousted Laguna governor Emilio Ramon “ER” Ejercito left the provincial capitol on Friday, May 30, after his uncle, former president and now Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada, visited him in Laguna.

“Payagan n’yo na po na isama ko at bumaba na ang inyong mahal na gobernador alang-alang po sa kapayapaan at katahimikan ng ating lalawigan ng Laguna,” Estrada told Ejercito’s supporters in a packed gathering in the province.

(Please allow me to bring with me your beloved governor, and let him step down, for the sake of peace and order in our province of Laguna.)

Estrada urged his nephew’s supporters to wait for the decision of the Supreme Court (SC), before which Ejercito appealed the Commission on Elections (Comelec) ruling to unseat him.

“Kung sakali mang hindi maganda ang desisyon sa kanya, mabilis lang ang dalawang taon. Magbabalik ka uli bilang gobernador,” Estrada said. (In case the decision isn’t too favorable, two years will be quick. You will return as governor.)

Holed up in capitol

Ejercito had remained in the capitol for more than a week after the Comelec, on May 21, said it has ordered Ejercito to step down due to campaign overspending.

As early as September 26, 2013, a division of the Comelec resolved to disqualify Ejercito for campaign overspending. He was found to have spent over P6 million on television advertisements alone.

Comelec Resolution 9615, or the implementing rules and regulations of the Fair Elections Act, states that a candidate is allowed to spend only P3 for every voter registered in the area where the candidate filed his certificate of candidacy.

Since Laguna had 1,525,522 registered voters for the May 2013 elections, Ejercito was allowed to spend only P4.5 million for his campaign.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government served at the provincial capitol on Wednesday, May 28, the writ of execution installing new Laguna governor Ramil Hernandez. – Rappler.com