Cavite's Saquilayan will no longer contest defeat before SC

Cavite's Homer Saquilayan no longer plans to contest a Supreme Court ruling that strikes down his bid to be declared the duly-elected mayor of Imus City.

Saquilayan was originally proclaimed the winner of the 2010 polls. However, Imus Regional Trial Court Judge Cesar Mangrobang later annulled his victory and declared Emmanuel Maliksi the mayor, prompting Saquilayan to bring the matter to the Commission on Elections.

The poll body eventually sided with Saquilayan after a recount of votes in contested precincts revealed that he garnered 48,521 votes or 8,429 more than Maliksi's 40,092.

Maliksi then elevated the case to the Supreme Court, which in March ruled against him and declared Saquilayan as mayor.

A month later, in April, the high court reversed itself and granted Maliksi's motion for reconsideration and remanded the electoral protest case back to the Comelec for further proceedings.

On Tuesday, SC Public Information Office chief and spokesperson Theodore Te said the high court received information that Saquilayan no longer plans to contest the high court's latest ruling.

"Saquilayan has manifested in court that he no longer plans to file a motion for reconsideration," Te told reporters at a press briefing.

The SC spokesman added that the "entry of judgement" that would make the high court's final ruling official would be made "in due course." — Mark Merueñas/KBK, GMA News