Jinggoy cousin ousted as governor over poll spending

MANILA, Philippines - To prove that the poll body is serious in going after big campaign spenders, the First Division of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has ordered the disqualification of Laguna Gov. Emilio Ramon “ER” Ejercito for overspending.

According to Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr., Ejercito had used more than P20 million for the campaign while he was allowed to spend only P4.5 million.

Ejercito is a nephew of former President and now Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada. He is also a cousin of Senators Jinggoy Estrada and JV Ejercito. 

“We just want to make an impression that we are not joking. We already declared before the elections that we were serious in implementing campaign finance rules,” he told reporters yesterday.

The decision was reached by First Division Commissioners Lucenito Tagle and Christian Robert Lim. The other division member, Commissioner Al Parreño, was out of the country.

This made Ejercito, of the United Nationalist Alliance, historically the highest ranking elected official to be disqualified for campaign overspending. 

Brillantes said Ejercito had violated the Omnibus Election Code and Comelec resolutions, which stipulate that he should have spent only P3 per voter.

The Comelec said Laguna has 1,525,522 registered voters and the gubernatorial candidate should spend a total of around P4.5 million.

The poll chief, however, clarified that the First Division resolution is not yet final.  

Ejercito has five days upon receipt of notice to file a motion for reconsideration with the Comelec.

The disqualification stemmed from the petition for disqualification filed against Ejercito by his rival in the 2013 elections, Edgar San Luis of the Liberal Party. 

Brillantes noted that in one advertisement contract with ABS-CBN television network alone, Ejercito was found to have paid P6 million.  

“We also have more documents to show that there are other contracts with ABS-CBN.”

Aside from disqualification, the Comelec will be studying if an election offense case could be filed against Ejercito before a proper court. This is punishable with up to six years imprisonment.

“He may also have committed perjury if he declared that he spent only this amount when, in fact, he spent more. But that would be another criminal offense, another process,” he said.

Brillantes vowed that more heads would roll as the Comelec is still auditing the campaign contributions and spending of candidates in the last May elections.

Asked if there are incumbent senators who violated the spending limit, Brillantes said the auditing is not yet complete. 

“The process is not easy. It just so happens that in this case, there is a complainant (who provided evidence). In other motu proprio cases, we are the ones looking for documents,” he added.