Lacson, Jimenez face disqualification in Manila mayoralty race

Two of the strongest contenders for the Manila mayoralty race are facing possible disqualification due to lack of one-year residency as required by law, an election lawyer said yesterday.

Legal counsel Romulo Macalintal said that Manila mayoralty bets are likely to file disqualification cases against Sen. Panfilo Lacson and former Manila congressman Mark Jimenez due to residency questions.

"His (Jimenez) conviction by a US court (for illegal campaign contributions) is not a ground for disqualification but his dismissal from Congress for an election offense should be looked into because it could be a ground for his possible disqualification," Macalintal said.

The House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal dismissed Jimenez from serving as representative of the sixth district of Manila in 2003 due to lack of residency and alleged involvement in vote buying. The Supreme Court upheld the HRET’s decision the following year.

Under the existing Omnibus Election Code, a candidate, who was found guilty by the court for committing an election offense, is permanently disqualified from seeking public office.

Meanwhile, Lacson, who announced plans to run for Manila mayor last Monday, is reportedly not a legitimate Manila resident.

Although he has registered as a voter in Manila’s fifth district a few months ago, Manila Vice Mayor Danilo Lacuna said the senator is originally from Cavite.

Macalintal explained that under the Omnibus Election law, a candidate should be a bona fide resident of the place where he or she is seeking a public position for at least one year.

One should be a resident of the area for at least six months to vote.

He then cited the case of Tarlac Rep. Butch Aquino who was disqualified from running for Makati’s congressional seat after he was proven to have just rented a house there seven months prior to the elections.

"To be a qualified candidate, one must be an actual resident in a place and not only for convenience or for election purposes," Macalintal said, adding that he expects cases of disqualification to pile up before the Commission on Elections in the months leading to the 2007 elections. — Mayen Jaymalin