MikeLigalig.com

Two third district congressional bets are now engaging in a deep, cut-throat battle, filing disqualification cases against each other.

Former Gov. Rene Relampagos is again facing a disqualification petition filed at the Commission on Elections Tuesday.

It can be recalled that 3rd district board member aspirant lawyer Salvador Diputado has earlier filed a separate disqualification petition and perjury raps against Relampagos.

Petitioner Salvador Diputado, a lawyer and a candidate for provincial board member in the same district, cited an alleged “false material representation” in the certificate of candidacy filed by Relampagos when in item no. 9 of the COC on the question “period of residence in the legislative district before May 14, 2007,” respondent Relampagos answered “2 years and 2 months.”

Diputado, who is son-in-law to Relampagos' opponent in the 3rd district congressional race senior board member Dionisio Balite, cited in his disqualification petition that based on Relampagos' COC, the period of residence, was (allegedly) falsely stated.

But right on the heels of the Diputado petition, Relampagos through his lawyers, also filed a petition to disqualify candidate Dionisio Balite on the fact that his (Balite’s) certificate of candidacy was notarized by no other than his own son-in-law Salvador Diputado.

“Balite’s act in knowingly and willfully allowing his son-in-law to perform the function of a notary public is in direct, gross and blatant violation of Section 3 {c), Rule IV (Powers and Limitations of Notaries Public) of Supreme Court en banc A.M. No. 02-8-13-SC, otherwise known as the “2004 Rules on Notarial Practice,” Relampagos said in his petition.

The rules states “a notary public is disqualified from performing a notarial act if he is a spouse, common-law partner, ancestor, descendant or relative by affinity or consanguinity of the principal within the fourth civil degree.”

The cut-throat contest of the two leaves lawyer Aleckoy Lim and congressman Boy Jala’s son, Adam Jala sprinting ahead unmolested by questions of their candidacies.

This week’s straw forecast showed Lim enjoying a big leap against all other three candidates for congressman in the third district.

Analysts say, Lim has established a non-traditional politician image, concentrating on a clean campaign, simply presenting what he can offer as Boholanos’ representative to Congress.

NEW CASE

The new case came after the Relampagos counter-petition, filed by another petitioner, one Wilhelmino Gamus, a resident and registered voter of barangay Canmanico, Valencia.

In his petition, Gamus cited that under the law, "a candidate for Congress must be a registered voter in the district in which he shall be elected and a resident therein for one year immediately preceding the election," as stated under Sec. 6, Article VI of the Philippine Constitution.

According to Gamus, Relampagos is not qualified to run as Congressman since "he is not an actual and personal resident of Poblacion Ubos, Loay for a period of one year," as evidenced by a certification of Poblacion Ubos barangay captain Pablito Solideo.

Gamus claimed in his petition that Relampagos "has no actual residence" in Poblacion Ubos, Loay since the house which he (Relampagos) indicated in his certificate of candidacy (COC) as his residence, located along 24 Poblacion Ubos, Loay, does not belong to Relampagos but to one Jescelo Adiong, as evidenced by a barangay certification attached to the petition.

A certification was also obtained by the petitioner (Gamus) from the office of the Loay Assessor that Relampagos "does not have actual landholdings in Poblacion Ubos or even in Loay town.

"In fact, the current registration papers of his motor vehicles at the Land Transportation Office (LTO) indicate his postal and residential address as 69 San Jose Street, Tagbilaran City, and not as Poblacion Ubos, Loay," the petitioner stated further.

"Instead the documents clearly show that he has not abandoned his domicile in Tagbilaran City, as required by law" the petitioner stated further.

RENE’S ANSWER

“For the second time his political detractors are giving wrong information in the latest complaint aiming to disqualify him in the congressional race,” former Gov. Relampagos said.

A question of residency instead should be directed to Balite if he had abandoned his house in Valencia town.

They owned a house in Loay, he said. Imee Adiong his wife, owns a house in Poblacion, Loay town which was donated to them by the late Judge Adiong, his father-in-law.

He further clarified that there are two lots in the property, one with their house and the other, a vacant lot.

The lot referred could be the one owned by Jescelo Adiong, his brother-in-law, Relampagos pointed out.

--------------
published in the Bohol Standard 4-29-2007

Linkback: https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=199.0