SC rejects Nograles’ election protest against Duterte

The Supreme Court upheld a Commission on Election (Comelec) ruling that declared Sara Duterte as the winner of the 2010 mayoral election of Davao City. 

 

In a full Court ruling signed by Clerk of Court Enriqueta Vidal, the High Court junked the election protest filed by former House Speaker Prospero Nograles against Duterte.

 

The SC found “no grave abuse of discretion by the [Comelec] en banc in denying petitioner’s motion for reconsideration of its earlier decision for failure to pay the required motion fees prescribed under the Comelec Rules of Procedure, as amended.”

 

In dismissing Nograles’ petition, the court held that “the payment of the filing fee is a jurisdictional requirement and non-compliance is a valid basis for dismissal of the case.”

 

Duterte ran against Nograles in the 2010 mayoral race in Davao City.

 

Sara Duterte is the daughter of incumbent Davao City vice mayor Rodrigo Duterte, who is known as Davao’s strongman for his no-nonsense attitude against criminality. — DVM, GMA News