BY PRINCE GOLEZ
Manila Reporter
MANILA – Malacañang denied having a hand in the disqualification of Gov. ER Ejercito of Laguna.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) recently found Ejercito to have overspent in the 2013 elections and subsequently ordered his removal from office.
Ejercito allegedly spent about P6 million for television commercials.
“We certainly did not have a role in what happened to Gov. Ejercito,” said Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda.
On Tuesday, Comelec swore in Ramil Hernandez as new Laguna governor. He was Ejercito’s vice governor.
Lacierda said Comelec’s basis for disqualifying Ejercito was “very, very clear.”
He also pointed out that the one sworn in as new governor of Laguna is not from the ruling Liberal Party.
The Comelec decision, according to Lacierda, should serve as an example to future political candidates to abide by election rules.
On Tuesday night, Ejercito declared he was not abandoning his post as governor.
“Ako pa rin ang inyong gobernador. Ngayon at magpakailanman,” he said.
Ejercito is a nephew of former president and now Manila mayor Joseph Estrada./PN
