Divinagracia counsel confident of reversal, hangs on to SC’s ‘telescopic mind’
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) may have declared En Banc that Alex Centena and not Salvador Divinagracia Jr. is the rightful vice mayor of Calinog, Iloilo. Worse still, Divinagracia Jr. and Manila-based counsel George Erwin Garcia also face possibility of contempt. Yet for the Divinagracia camp, it ain’t over till the Supreme Court (SC) says it’s really over.
Meantime, a Petition for Review with an automatic prayer for the issuance of a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) was filed yesterday. And for Divinagracia Jr. Iloilo-based counsel, lawyer Bob Catolico, chances of a reversal still remain.
In fact, Catolico who won the first round of Lower Court battle for his client said the SC’s “telescopic mind” might just tilt the balance in their favor.
“I am surprised, shocked even and it is most unfortunate that not only did the COMELEC upheld the earlier victory of Centena but my client and our counterpart in Manila face contempt,” Catolico told The News Today (TNT). “But I spoke with Mayor Divinagracia and we remain optimistic especially that the Petition For Review is now with the SC… We won the fight here before Judge Danilo Galvez and I am really confident that the SC will see the merits of our client’s arguments with their “telescopic mind.” Most importantly, we pass upon the SC’s judgment that issue on non-payment of docket fee.”