Cities And Towns
Gonzalez guns mayoralty post of Iloilo City
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Nov 20, 2009 - 10:06:44 PM

By Perfecto T. Raymundo Jr.

MANILA, Nov. 21 (PNA) -- Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Raul Gonzalez Sr. is definitely running for mayor of Iloilo City in the May 10, 2010 elections.

According to Gonzalez, he is still interested in clinching the highest local chief executive post in the City of Iloilo come next year's elections.

In June this year, Gonzalez has expressed his readiness to resign from the Cabinet of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo by November to prepare for running in the local post.

"We are still awaiting the decision of the Supreme Court about presidential appointees whether we can resign come the campaign period time," Gonzalez stressed.

The Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday ordered the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to answer the pleading filed by election lawyer Romulo Macalintal seeking to declare as "void" the Comelec resolution that considers as resigned all appointive officials who shall have filed their respective certificate of candidacy (COC) by November 30, 2009.

The Comelec has set the period from Nov. 20 to Dec. 1, 2009 within which for those seeking elective post in the May 10, 2010 general elections to file their respective COC.

In Tuesday's en banc session, the SC gave the Comelec a non-extendible period of five days beginning Tuesday within which to submit their comment.

Comelec Resolution 8678, otherwise known as the "Guidelines on the Filing of Candidacy and Nomination of Official Candidates of Registered Political Parties in connection with the May 10, 2010 National and Local Elections", provides that a person holding a public appointive office or position, including active members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and other officers and employees in government-owned or controlled corporations (GOCCs), shall be considered ipso facto resigned from office upon filing of his certificate of candidacy (COC).

It also provides,however, that a person holding an elective office or position shall not be considered resigned upon the filing of COC for the same or any other elective office or position. (PNA)