Plaint filed vs Jonas for ‘partisan politics’

CEBU, Philippines - A resident has requested the disqualification of Ibabao, Mandaue City’s incumbent barangay captain and his slate for reportedly engaging in partisan politics, three days before the elections on Monday.

Mayor Jonas Cortes was included in the case for allegedly endorsing Barangay Captain Carmelino del Mar, Jesus Barz, Cecil del Mar, Jonathan dela Peña, Elena Rodriguez, Wendel Teves Diosdada Ygay, and Renato Yuson Jr.

Lauro Pintor, a resident of Rizal St., Ibabao, said that last Oct. 21, campaign materials were posted at the house of Mayor Jonas Cortes and were photographed by a certain Danilo Bañez.

Barangay elections are supposed to be non-partisan or that candidates should not present themselves as belonging to any political party.

Pintor said the campaign materials were proof that the mayor engaged in partisan political activities, as he was promoting the election of his co-respondents who are running for public office.

He also alleged that in posing with their arms interlocked at the mayor’s office, which he believed is designed to solicit votes, Carmelino and his candidates for councilor utilized government resources for personal purpose.

In his affidavit, Pintor cited a 1998 Civil Service Commission memorandum circular defining “partisan political activity” as an act designed to promote the election or defeat of a particular candidate or candidates to a public office.

He said that a government employee who engages in partisan politics, like having his picture taken with candidates, may be “dismissed from service”.

“The act of respondents in posting the scandalous streamer in a non-Comelec designated poster area, specifically the house of Mayor Jonas Cortes, is a clear violation of Sec.9 (of) R.A. 9006 (Fair Elections Act).The Mayor’s act is highly inequitable and partial in favor of his co-respondents,”  said Pintor in his affidavit.

He asked the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Manila to disqualify Carmelino and the others from running in the barangay elections this Monday while he prepares the filing of criminal complaints against them.

On Cortes, he asked that the Comelec permanently prevent the mayor from continuing to serve his office for allegedly violating Section 264 of the Omnibus Election Code.

In the complaint he submitted yesterday, Pintor attached photographs of Carmelino’s political streamers that he said were posted in Cortes’ home.  A copy of his complaint was also provided to the Comelec office in Mandaue.

Cortes was unavailable for comment as of press time last night.

Carmelino, though, told The FREEMAN that he welcomes the petition, adding that anybody can file such a complaint. He, however, said that there is no law that criminalized having a picture taken with the mayor.

“Bisan kinsa nga moadto sa (Anybody who goes to the) office ni Mayor, ma-incumbent or ma-opposition , mo-accomodate ra man si Mayor para magpa-picture,” Carmelino said .

He said the streamers Pintor complained about were paid for by friends and not by them.  They, however, are no longer displayed at Cortes’ house after the mayor allegedly had them all removed.

Carmelino suspected the ones behind the complaint are their political rivals in the Oct. 28 elections.

“There’s no way that they (political opponents) will win, busa (so this is a) desperate move na na nila (by them),” he added.— /RHM (FREEMAN)