By Neska Centina

The Supreme Court recently upheld the decision of a lower court and denied a petition filed by members of Magbinuligay Kita sa Kauswagan (MKK), the political group supporting former Bacolod City Mayor Monico Puentevella, calling for a recount of the 2016 Bacolod City mayoral election.

In their decision, the court noted the petition failed to “sufficiently show the Regional Trial Court (RTC) committed any reversible error in the challenged orders.”

Last December, the Supreme Court en banc dismissed the appeal filed by Puentevella challenging the earlier dismissal of his poll protest following an election that saw Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia earn 120,231 votes to Puentevella’s 97,993.

According to the decision, the petition lacked components, including required docket and other fees amounting to P200; a duplicate original or certified true copy of the initial dismissal; and “competent evidence” of the individual testifying the petitioner was not forum shopping, or seeking a venue that would provide a favorable decision.

City Legal Officer Joselito Bayatan explained the Supreme Court found no basis for Puentevella to invoke manual counting since the election was automated.

“[Puentevella] went to court without a cause of action,” Bayatan said.

Bayatan also said the MKK members “did not follow the procedural process” for appealing directly to the Supreme Court after the RTC denied its petition./NC, WDJ