Nueva Vizcaya governor denies poll violation

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya , Philippines   â€“ Three-term Gov. Luisa Cuaresma, who is bidding to be the province’s first congresswoman, has denied violating election rules on extending donations, as alleged by her rival’s camp.

“Our rivals are really determined to ease me out from the race. First, they wanted to drop me from the congressional race based on mere technicalities. Now, they want me out again by concocting charges that I violated election rules,” she said.

Supporters identified with the camp of Rep. Carlos Padilla have accused her of giving donations during a recent gathering, which they said violates Section 104 of the Omnibus Election Code and Commission on Elections (Comelec) Resolution No. 9385 which prohibit candidates from extending donations or favors in cash or in kind. Such a violation would cause the disqualification or cancellation of the certificate of candidacy of a candidate.

“We know our law. We always stick to the rules. But obviously our opponent does not want to face us fair and square before our electorate, that’s why they will do everything for me to be disqualified from the race,” Cuaresma said.

Vice Gov. Jose Gambito, who Cuaresma is supporting in his gubernatorial bid, described the accusations as “completely without basis and just another ploy to publicly smear the (governor’s) reputation and very high popularity.”

Both Cuaresma and Gambito are running under the United Nationalist Alliance. Padilla, who fielded his wife, Ruth, for governor, belongs to the Nacionalista Party.

Cuaresma, 57, a housewife-turned politician, is bidding to end Padilla’s nearly three-decade congressional dominance here. She rose to political stardom following the 1988 killing of her husband, then Bambang town mayor Benjamin Cuaresma Jr.

Cuaresma served as mayor for three terms before becoming vice governor for two terms. She won the governorship in 2004, making her the second woman governor of the province.

Padilla, 68, is gunning for an unprecedented 29th year in Congress. He was appointed mayor of the then still undivided Dupax town before he won a seat in the interim Batasan Pambansa in 1978, courtesy of the powerful Kilusang Bagong Lipunan party of then President Ferdinand Marcos.