With 4 days to go for brgy, sk polls: Disqualification raps, other complaints filed at Comelec

With four more days to go before the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections, at least 10 disqualification cases against candidates were lodged at the Office of the Provincial Election supervisor.

One of these was the one filed by barangay captain Pedro Cumpio of barangay T. Padilla in Cebu City against his rival Manuel Cumpio, who he accused as a nuisance candidate for lack of platform.

Two cases were for posts in Toledo City where barangay captain candidate Haile Baron, of barangay Sto. Niño, accused his rival Dario Surig of not being  a bonafide resident and should be disqualified to run.

Then barangay captain aspirant Jimbo Luza, of the city’s barangay Sagay, sought to disqualify his opponent Ronie Mendez allegedly for threatening to kill a supporter.

Three more cases involved candidates in Lapu-Lapu City: 1) Jorge Tumulak, barangay captain candidate for barangay Gun-ob wanted to disqualify his opponent Jerico Espinosa alleging that the latter has been convicted of the crime of serious physical injuries on September 19, 2006.

Tumulak alleged that Espinosa is still on “probationary status” for the trial he applied for and is still set to serve his penalty of two years, 11 months and 11 days in prison; and

2 and 3) Rosario’s barangay captain candidate Romeo Aton moved to disqualify two rivals, Cesar Aton Jr. and Ronel Amoroto, saying they should be declared nuisance candidates.

There were two cases for Bogo City posts: One was filed by barangay captain bet Liduvino Catarata, of barangay Dakit, who wanted to disqualify his rival Eddie Tolingin who he said already served beyond the three-term limit.

Next was filed by barangay captain bet, Dr. Ernesto Faciol of barangay Lourdes, who wanted to disqualify his two rivals, Christopher Lepiten and Erwin Ortega, allegedly for being non-residents.

In Ronda town, barangay captain aspirant Perla Rosales, of barangay Tupas, sought the ouster of her opponent Canciano Llenos Jr. allegedly for violation of election laws when the latter lied on his period of residency.

Rosales insisted that Llenos did not reside in Tupas for over eight years, as the latter had declared, but had been a barangay captain instead in barangay Palanas of Alcantara during the preceding years.

For posts in Barili town, at least eight residents have petitioned to disqualify candidate Winefredo Delfino for barangay captain of Mantalongon. Also, barangay captain candidate Macario Batal Jr. of Colonia moved to disqualify his rival Alice Cowley for being a non-resident.

The Comelec also received complaints from at least 22 towns in Cebu for lack of election supplies and paraphernalia.

Provincial election Lionel Marco Castillano said his office already informed the central office in Manila about this matter, and he assured the complainants that the requested supplies would be delivered to the towns before October 29.

Comelec records showed that in Pinamungajan town, only 152 of 162 precincts have received election supplies and paraphernalia, while in Liloan, only 206 of 221 precincts got theirs so far.

Other precincts that still lack elections supplies are 29 each in Daanbantayan and Samboan towns, 19 in Consolacion, 13 in San Francisco, 11 in Minglanilla, 10 in Borbon, and five clustered precincts in Santander and four precinct clusters in Oslob.

The others are seven each in Dumanjug and Madridejos, six in Bantayan, five each in San Fernando, Catmon and Dalaguete, four in Tudela, three in Sibonga, two in Tuburan, and one each in Asturias and Tabogon. — Gerome M. Dalipe/RAE