Villanueva sees Gil disqualified soon

CEBU CITY–Presidential candidate Bro. Eddie Villanueva is expecting the Commission on Election (Comelec) to disqualify his rival Eddie Gil from the presidential elections when its ruling on his petition is released on Tuesday.

"His certificate of candidacy, shameful experiences during campaign sorties, a television documentary and the honorable betrayal of his senatorial candidates are more than enough grounds to disqualify him," said Jordan Pizarras, lawyer of Villanueva’s Bangon Pilipinas Movement (BPM).

Pizarras said the disqualification case against Gil before the poll body is no longer a question of whether he is a "nuisance" candidate.

"I think everybody already knows that," he said. "The issue now is why he is not disqualified yet. We are questioning this timeframe used by the Comelec in deciding on such a simple and commonsensical case."

Pizarras said two more senatorial candidates of Gil’s Partido Isang Bansa Isang Diwa (PIBID) have withdrawn their support for the self-proclaimed billionaire who was earlier accused of issuing a bouncing check during a provincial sortie.

"(Former Philippine Constabulary chief) Gen. (Ramon) Montano has lost interest in Gil’s party because of its mindless way of campaigning," he said. "Atty. (Lina) Pagunuran has described Gil’s party as a sham and (has) no direction."

Pizarras said the Comelec must also consider their arguments for Gil’s disqualification, apart from the withdrawal of five of his senatorial candidates.

"They must not ignore his (certificate of candidacy), where his gender was listed as ‘Filipino’ and his profession as ‘businessman’ and experience with a hotel in Cagayan de Oro during a campaign," he said.

Pizarras said said they are confident that the poll body would uphold their petition to have Gil disqualified as a presidential candidate.

"But for some reason, our motion is denied, we would seek a Comelec en banc jurisdiction," he said.

Earlier, former senator Eddie Ilarde, actress Pilar Pilapil and Jose Floro Crisologo had withdrawn their regsitration before the Comelec as senatorial candidates of PIBID.

Meanwhile, Villanueva said the same "mammoth crowd" at his proclamation rally at Rizal Park in Manila would attend his grand rally tomorrow afternoon at Fuente Osmeña Circle in Cebu City.

"It would be our next biggest rally," he said.

Villanueva said he is confident that the "silent majority" would be "enlightened" and seek his leadership which focuses on "massive renewal" and moral recovery programs.

"The percentage of undecided voters is gradually increasing," he said. "And we will work to win their votes."

His provicial sorties depend highly on sponsorships as he does not have the machinery to fund a P4-billion national campaign, Villanueva said.