(Eagle News)–The Commission on Elections has junked the two disqualification cases filed against Senator Koko Pimentel, paving the way for him to run for a Senate seat unhampered in the May elections.
In junking the cases filed by lawyer Ferdinand Topacio and former Rep. Glenn Chong against him, the Comelec ruled Pimentel’s term had been interrupted when Juan Miguel Zubiri served for four years as the 12th winning senator in the 2007 elections.
It was only in 2011 when the Senate Electoral Tribunal ruled Pimentel, who had filed an electoral protest against Zubiri, was the 12th winning senator.
According to the Comelec, Pimentel could not thus be considered to have served one complete Senate term of six years.
The Constitution allows a senator to serve only for two consecutive six-year terms.
“It is clear that Pimentel has not fully served his first term as a Senator; thus, the two-term limit does not yet apply to him,” the Comelec said.
The resolution was signed by Commissioner Al Parreño, Rowena Guanzon and Marlon Casquejo.
