Highland Reports

28/01/2025

11/01/2025

COMELEC En Banc denies motion for reconsideration against Lacwasan’s candidacy

Gina DIzon

MANILA - The Motion for Reconsideration (MR) filed by Petitioner Johnny Lausan cancelling the certificate of candidacy of Bonifacio Lacwasan Jr for governor of Mountain Province in the May 12,2025 elections was denied by the Commission on Elections En Banc in their January 7,2025 resolution.

This, following the denial of the First Division of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) on December 11, 2024 the said petition.
The MR filed by petitioner Lausan was scrapped by the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) En Banc that affirmed the ruling of the First Division of the COMELEC having denied said motion for lack of merit.

Lausan in his petition claimed that Lacwasan violated the three - term limit rule claiming that at the end of the 2022-2025 term, Lacwasan has fully served three terms and barred from running again for the fourth time.

The COMELEC En Banc ruled, “We find no cogent reason to depart from the assailed resolution of the Commission (First Division)”.
The First Division of the COMELEC ruled that Lacwasan is not subject to the three-term limit rule since he assumed his position as Vice Governor of Mountain Province and served in that capacity in the full 2016-2019 term.

“Clearly, Lacwasan was appointed and not elected as Governor of Mountain Province”, the First Division stated in their ruling dated January 7,2025.

Lacwasan took his oath as Governor on June 30,2016 and assumed said post till June 30, 2019 following the death of the late Governor Leonard Mayaen in March 31,2016.

He was subsequently elected and won in two consecutive terms as Provincial Governor in the 2019 and 2022 elections.

The First Division noted Supreme Court jurisprudence citing two requisites for the applicability of the disqualification under the three-term limit. One, the official concerned has been elected for three consecutive terms in the same local government post; and second, the official concerned has fully served three consecutive terms.
COMELEC in its ruling also noted Section 8 of the 1987 Constitution stating,“The term of office of elective local officials, except barangay officials, which shall be determined by law, shall be three years and no such official shall serve for more than three consecutive terms. Voluntary renunciation of the office for any length of time shall not be considered as an interruption in the continuity of his service for the full term for which he was elected.”

The COMELEC clarified that Lacwasan “did not lose title of the Office of the Vice Governor when he was appointed as Acting Governor in 2016 as he was merely prevented from exercising the functions of his office by reason of his assumption of the post of Governor as provided for and by operation of law”, when a permanent vacancy arose due to the untimely death of former winning Governor Leonard Mayaen in the 2016 elections.

The petitioner claimed that Lacwasan in his COC constitutes false material representation because he (Lacwasan) is ineligible on account of the three term limit rule.

COMELEC En banc ruled that the Motion for Reconsideration had no valid ground and that the assailed resolution was neither without sufficient basis found in the records nor of the law./ HMPReports

07/01/2025

Visit Upland Bontoc with its citrus farms, treks, hot springs, and rice terraces

Gina Dizon

BONTOC, MOUNTAIN PROVINCE - Upland Bontoc is a promising tourism visit of orchards, rice terraces, hot springs and treks.
Not suprising for the much visited Malicong rice terraces located in upland Bontoc.

Other rice producing villages are located in upland Bontoc in barangays Guinaang, Mainit and Dalican.

Along with rice terraces are farm visits at the fruit-profilic village of Maligcong lets one have a taste of citrus in Mataliwid Farm, Familia Feken, Khayad’s citrus farm and Osao Farm.

Also, Tockchangan fish farm and Mary’s hydroponics are abundant in eels and other marine life in Maligcong.

A visit at the Bontoc Tourism Office by the Provincial Tourism Office led by Roger Sacyaten noted that Upland Bontoc can be enjoyed by tourists for a day to three via transport starting at the municipal tourism office.

For the popularly visited Maligcong rice terraces, birdwatching is a sight along with trekking at Mt Kupapey and Mt Fato, trek sites of the Southeast Asian Trail Running Cup 2024 (ASEAN) held in Bontoc in June 19-23, 2024.

Mt. Fato located at the western side of Maligcong abounds with pine trees. A large rock at the mountain’s peak summit is found from where its name was coined, ’fato” meaning ‘rock’ in the English language.

From Sitio Favuyan of Maligcong, one heads off to Mt Fato with an elevation of 1,630+ meters above sea level for 1-2 hous of hiking to reach the top and have a view of the village.

Another challenging trek is a 1.5 to 2 hous hike to Mt. Kupapey. Kupapey in the dialect means “butterfly” in the English language. Just like Mt. Fato, the trail to Kupapey is a straightforward ascent with a rewarding view of the popular Maligcong rice terraces.

The Maligcong Rice Terraces have been nominated by the Department of Tourism- Cordillera Administrative Region (DOT-CAR) as one of the pilot voluntourism sites in the Cordillera for sustainable farming and environmental conservation.The DOT-CAR partnership with the Certeza Infosys Corporation (CIC) and the Techno Earth Systems Corporation is spearheading the development of learning modules and sites for life-long experience through voluntourism.

Up in Maligcong is Guinaang, a charming village of Upland Bontoc with its rice terraces and granaries including age-old houses which can be seen from the road.

Tourists may also visit the Mainit demo farm while they are in the village and stay for the night before heading further north to the village of Mainit.

Mainit is located north of barangays Maligcong and Guina-ang. It is bounded north by neighboring Tubo of Abra province; west of barangay Dalican of Bontoc and south of barangay Fedilisan of Sagada. Mainit is originally named Chongliyan meaning beautiful in the English language.

Mainit is famous for its hot sulfuric waters offering a relaxant and medicinal cure for some skin irritations. After a hard days work among the people here in Mainit, a dip in the hot spring is sufficient to ease muscle pains.

Too, tourists can enjoy soaking in the hot spring waters of Mainit in two establishments here which also offer lodging accomodations.

An overnight stay at Mainit is best before heading off for a quick visit at nearby Dalican village where one finds the Kivkivan cave, Pusong Lake, and guava farm.

Dalican is originally called Likayan. Dalican overlooks northern Sagada villages of Fidelisan, Pide and Aguid.

Along the way back to the municipal hall, one enjoys the refreshing sight of the Kadchog rice terraces located along the Bontoc-Baguio Road with its golden brown rice stalks heavy with grains in August and cool green lush rice fields April to May./ HMPReports

photo credit: GoodNewsPilipinas

07/01/2025

MP Governor Lacwasan unfazed on petition to cancel his candidacy

MOUNTAIN PROVINCE Governor Bonifacio C. Lacwasan Jr is unfazed on the petition to cancel his candidacy saying ; “he is on the right track having filed his candidacy for the position of Governor of Mountain Province for the May 12, 2025 elections.

This with the recent decision of the First Division of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) having scrapped for lack of merit the petition filed December last year by Johnny Lausan to cancel Lacwasan’s certificate of candidacy (COC) filed October last year.

Lausan in his petition claimed that Lacwasan violated the three - term limit COMELEC rule among officials who occupy positions in government.

Supreme Court jurisprudence cites two requisites for the applicability of the disqualification under the three-term limit. One, the official concerned has been elected for three consecutive terms in the same local government post; and second, the official concerned has fully served three consecutive terms.

Lacwasan was appointed as Acting Governor for 2016 to 2019 following the death of the late Governor Leonard Mayaen in March 31,2016. Lacwasan then filed his candidacy as vice governor of Mountain Province for the May 2016 elections.

Lacwasan won in two consecutive terms as Provincial Governor in the 2019 and 2022 elections..

COMELEC ruled that Lacwasan is not subject to the three-term limit rule since he assumed his position of Vice Governor of Mountain Province in the 2016-2019 term; and subsequently assumed the position of Acting Governor having been appointed and served in that capacity for the full 2016-2019 term.

The COMELEC further clarified that Lacwasan “did not lose title of the Office of the Vice Governor when he was appointed as Acting Governor in 2016 as he was merely prevented from exercising the functions of his office by reason of his assumption of the post of Governor as provided for and by operation of law”, when a permanent vacancy arose due to the untimely death of the proclaimed Governor./Gina Dizon