Salimbangon hits Martinez petition to disqualify him

Congressional aspirant Celestino "Tining" Martinez III made the wrong move in filing at the Commission on Elections a petition to disqualify his rival Benhur Salimbangon.

Salimbangon himself issued this statement contending that Martinez should not have petitioned against him but it should be the court that ordered the Comelec to include his name in the list of registered voters of barangay Agujo, Daanbantayan.

The Martinez petition however also questioned the jurisdiction of the Municipal Trial Court, under judge Cornelio Jaca, in ordering the inclusion of Salimbangon''s name in the voters'' list last March 26.

An official from Comelec-central office went to Daanbantayan last March 30 supposedly to investigate about the exclusion of Salimbangon''s name from the list of voters.

Daanbantayan election registrar Maria Lourdes Andrino said however that the investigation was already deemed moot because of the court order.

Martinez had questioned Salimbangon''s candidacy allegedly because the latter was not a registered voter in his hometown of Medellin.

Salimbangon''s status as voter was deactivated after he failed to vote in two successive elections but he filed in court a petition for inclusion and to direct the election officer to include his name in the voters'' list of barangay Agujo where his family owns a resort.

The Comelec central office has yet to resolve the petition filed by Martinez last April 2, 2007. - Gregg M. Rubio/RAE