Pampanga’s Gonzales files protest vs Rodriguez

MANILA, Philippines - Outgoing Rep. Aurelio Gonzales Jr. of Pampanga’s third district has filed an election protest against Congressman-elect Oscar Rodriguez before the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal (HRET).

Gonzales accused Rodriguez, who garnered 140.826 votes over the former’s 108,275 votes in the May 13 elections, of resorting to vote buying by releasing funds as mayor of San Fernando City shortly before the balloting.

He said his opponent signed and issued numerous checks in favor of several payees using the account of the city with the San Fernando branch of Land Bank.

He said he possesses evidence showing Rodriguez issued checks in the amount of P3,000 to P5,000 to seven San Fernando residents.

Gonzales claimed that on May 10, just three days before the elections, Rodriguez distributed “financial assistance” of P5,000 to his scholars at the Don Honorio Ventura Technological State University.

The Rodriguez scholars are residents not only of San Fernando City but of other parts of the third district as well, he said.

He said what the outgoing mayor did “were acts that violated Section 261 of the Omnibus Election Code, which prohibits any public official or employee, including barangay officials, from releasing, disbursing or using public funds during 45 days before a regular election.”

The prohibition is reiterated in Commission on Elections Resolution No. 9585, he said.

He pointed out that Rodriguez’s issuance of checks and distribution of financial assistance to numerous San Fernando and third district residents constituted vote buying, for which, he added, his opponent should not be allowed to sit in the House.