LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines – Catholic Church clergy on Monday, September 26, joined a prayer rally to show support for Albay Governor Noel Rosal as he seeks reconsideration of a disqualification ruling by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) First Division.

Legazpi Bishop Joel “Bong” Z. Baylon led the opening prayer at the “Laban Mo, Laban Ko” rally in Peñaranda Park. 

“Maogma man o mamundo, madali man o dipisil, idinudulot mi an buhay mi sa saimong kamot. Minasabay kami sainda para ipahiling niyamo an samong suporta,” the prelate said in his prayer for truth to prevail. (In joy or sorrow, ease or difficulty, we offer our life to your hands. We join them to show our support.) 

Aside from Baylon, two other priests spoke at the rally, independently organized by the governor’s supporters who claimed an attendance of thousands from here and other towns and cities of Albay. Other religious workers, farmers, persons with disabilities, advocates of women’s rights, senior citizens, transport workers, and members of civic groups were also in the crowd.

The Comelec First Division on September 19 disqualified Rosal, who defeated reelectionist governor Al Francis Bichara in the May 2022 elections, for violating the Omnibus Election Code ban on disbursement of public funds within 45 days prior to a regular election.

Rosal, then-mayor of this city, had paid out cash for tricycle drivers and senior citizens in March and April 2022 as part of the local pandemic aid that started in 2020. Rosal said the Sangguniang Panlungsod had approved and allocated funds for the aid program.

The First Division ruling, however, said the law does not exempt even continuing social welfare and development projects from the spending ban. 

The governor will remain at his post while the Comelec en banc hears his appeal for reconsideration, filed on Friday, September 23.

Msgr. Ramon Tronqued’s prayer touched on the importance of respecting “the voice of the people” in democratic exercises.  

Fr. Paulo Barandon, parish priest of St. Stephen the Proto-Martyr Parish in Ligao City, was even more open in his support.

“This is the only time that Albay has a good leader,” he claimed. The priest cited the governor’s focus on “looking after the needs of the people from the far-flung areas,” including island communities.

“For just two months, he instituted a remarkable change, especially the upgrade of hospitals and pro poor programs. Rosal leadership is worth emulating. We have a new good governor in Albay. Sadly, they want to kick him out. He is a kind of official worth emulating by the new and younger politicians not only in Albay,” Barandon added.

‘Political group decision’

Rosal and his wife, Legazpi Mayor Carmen Geraldine, have ruled this city for decades. 

The governor was on his third and last term as Legazpi mayor when he challenged Bichara in the 2022 polls, winning with 469,481 votes to the latter’s 238,746.

Noel also served as mayor from 2001 to 2010. Geraldine took over in 2010 when her husband took a break. He served as her city administrator. 

The complainant in the disqualification case, Joseph San Juan Armogila, was a 2022 council bet under the ticket of then-representative Alfredo “Pido” Garbin of the Ako Bicol partylist.

Garbin lost the 2022 mayoral race to Geraldine by a very narrow margin of 550 votes.

Rosal described the disqualification case as a political “group decision”.

“The Ako Bicol partylist is holding a powerful position occupying key positions in Congress, handling the budget, and all offices of the government pass through them because of the budget,” he said.

Rappler tried to get the side of Ako Bicol Partylist Representative and founder Elizaldy “Zaldy” S. Co but the lawmaker did not respond. 

Not new to challenges

If the Comelec en banc backs the First Division ruling, Rosal said he would bring the case to the Supreme Court.

“I hope that history repeats itself just like in 2004, 18 years ago,” he said.

The governor was referring to the Supreme Court’s 2006 status quo ante order and its 2007 ruling that struck down the Comelec en banc decision proclaiming mayoral challenger Michael Victor Imperial as mayor after he contested results of Rosal’s 2004 elections win.

Rosal went to the High Court when the Comelec in May 2006 ordered him to vacate his post after rejecting his petition to review possibly tampered ballot boxes. The Court issued a status quo ante six days after Rosal filed his petition.

The full SC ruling on his petition, issued a year later, also ordered the Comelec to review the state of the ballot boxes in the disputed election area. – Rappler.com