Benhur’s lawyer files raps versus Bogo poll officials

Cebu 4th district Rep. Benhur Salimbangon yesterday filed a criminal complaint before the City Prosecutor’s Office against an election officer and a government employee of Bogo City for various election offenses.

Delon Richel Ramon Urot, the legal counsel of Salimbangon, filed the complaint of the newly proclaimed congressman at 10:20 a.m.

Based on his six-page complaint-affidavit, Urot accused Jose Menguez and Rhett Menguez, the Election Officer and City Treasurer of Bogo City, respectively, for alleged violation of several provisions of the Omnibus Election Code.

Intervention

Urot said he remembered that Jose Menguez had insisted to finish the canvassing of votes for Bogo on the night of May 14, citing an election rule.

At that time, 21 election returns had been canvassed by the Municipal Board of Canvassers. The original Board was composed of Jose Menguez as chairman, Rhett Menguez, vice chairman and Emma Ranile as member.

At the start, Urot said the canvassing went smoothly until Jose intervened to expedite the counting as required by the law.

Urot said the Board got the control of the canvassing since they had the key to the canvassing room.

Booted Out

Hours later, the complainant said that he was informed that one of their poll watchers was booted out from the canvassing room while watchers of their opponent remained.

Urot said he rushed to the area to check the situation, but before he could get near at the canvassing room, Jose reportedly blocked his way and tried to explain the incident.

“He (Jose Menguez) would not want our watchers to be at the canvassing area. It was only when the canvassing was about to resume when the respondent allowed our watchers to be posted at the canvassing area,” said Urot.

Delayed

On May 15, the board was supposed to convene and start the canvassing at 8 a.m. However, Rhett Menguez arrived late resulting to the delay in the canvassing votes.

Rhett was quoted as saying that he was late because he attended to a “personal affair.”

But Urot said, the latter was seen at the office of Celestino ‘Tining’ Martinez III, the political rival of Salimbangon.

“For unknown reason, Mr. Rhett Menguez was at the said office for quite sometime,” said Urot.

On May 16, Urot said that the lawyers of Salimbangon waited long for the resumption of the canvassing, however, nobody from the members of the board showed up to start the counting.

He added that they could not even enter to the canvassing room because Rhett had custody of the key to the room.

Transferred

Later that day, Bogo Mayor Celestino “Junie” Martinez, the father of Tining, approached one of the lawyers of Salimbangon and told him that the canvassing of votes for Bogo would be transferred to the Cebu Provincial Capitol.

At that time, the board was done canvassing over 70 returns.

With the transfer of the remaining returns, the lawyer suspected that the camp of Martinez, thru the board, “manipulated” some returns with, the Menguezes as the accomplices.

The remaining returns from Bogo were then transported to the Capitol. The Comelec 7 later formed a new set of Board of Canvassers.

Urot said he was surprised when Rhett was spotted at the Capitol Social Hall where at that time, the canvassing was being held.

Urot said Rhett had no business there, because he was already sacked as vice chairman of the board.

Another doubtful thing, he said, was that Rhett was “eagerly interested in the proceeding” at the Capitol, when in fact he didn’t show up during the canvassing in Bogo.

With those acts, said Urot, Jose and Rhett thus violated Sections 261, 230, 231,   of the Omnibus Election Code. — Gerome M. Dalipe/NLQ