Lawyer adds evidence for case in Comelec vs Mayor Rama

CEBU, Philippines - A lawyer who filed a complaint against Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama last month, presented additional evidences to the Commission on Elections (Comelec), accusing the mayor for violating the Omnibus Election Code (OEC).

In his supplemental-affidavit complaint, Lawyer Reymelio Delute used statements of Barangay Captain George Rama as additional evidence against the case he filed against the mayor who after the May elections, allegedly failed to disclose in his Statement of Contribution and Expenditures (SOCE) the P3 million campaign contribution of his cousin and congressional candidate Annabelle Rama.

“In relation to the said filing of charges, the mayor’s cousin and incumbent Basak San Nicolas Barangay Captain George Rama made some statement admitting that Annabelle Rama-Gutierrez did contribute three million pesos to the respondent but the said amount was subsequently refunded to her,” Delute’s complaint read.

In an interview published in The Freeman, George, who is Annabelle’s brother, stated that Mayor Rama returned the money which was the reason why he did not declare the amount in his SOCE.

Delute said the amount was only noted after Rama submitted his incomplete SOCE and Schedule of Contributions and after Annabelle stated her P3 million election contribution to Mayor Rama’s campaign.

Based on the OEC, if a candidate of a political party has not received contributions, has not made expenditures, or has no pending obligations, then it shall be indicated in the candidate’s SOCE.

With this, Delute said Rama should be made liable for violating section 262 in relation to sec.109 of the OEC which states, “the statement shall be in writing, subscribed and sworn to by the candidate or by the treasurer of the party, shall be complete as of date next preceding the date of filing and shall set forth in detail the amount of contributions, the date of receipt, and the full name and exact address of the person from whom the contribution was received.”

In Mayor Rama’s SOCE, only the amount of P1 million from Mariquita Yeung was declared as of June 12.

Further, the OEC states that any person found guilty of any election offense shall be punished with imprisonment of not less than one year but not more than six years and shall not be subject to probation. The guilty party shall also be disqualified to hold public office and deprived of the right to suffrage.

Rama said he has not yet seen the complaint but it will be endorsed and handled by his lawyers.

“I wish he will circumspect,” Rama added. — (FREEMAN)