Defeated bet seeks reconsideration for poll violation charges vs. Loot

Defeated Daanbantayan mayoralty candidate Augusto Corro the other day filed a motion for reconsideration before the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor on the dismissal of the complaint filed against Sr. Supt. Vicente Loot for alleged violation of the Omnibus Election Code during the elections last May 14.

Loot allegedly came to within the 50 meter radius of the Daanbantayan town hall where the election returns for the local positions were canvassed and also allegedly visited Tominjao Elementary School in barangay Tominjao during the elections.

Loot’s wife Ma. Luisa Loot ran and won as vice mayor while their son Sun Shimura won the mayoralty post.

Corro, represented by his sister, Liza Corro, asked that the resolution issued by assistant provincial prosecutor Luis Calderon III dated last September 26 dismissing the case filed against Loot be reconsidered and that the proper information be filed against him for violation of the Omnibus Election Code.

The Omnibus Election Code prohibits policemen from entering or being within the 50-meter radius from any polling place or canvassing area during elections.

Although it was able to establish that Loot was present both at Tominjao Elementary School and at the town hall, the provincial prosecutor’s office still found no sufficient evidence to warrant the filing of an information and said that the prohibition under Section 192 of the Omnibus Election Code applies only during the voting time and violation of Article 232 of the same code must be committed with malice. —Jose P. Sollano/BRP