Chief blasts flying voters

CEBU, Philippines - A barangay captain in Dumanjug town has complained about non-residents who were allegedly registered as voters in his barangay for the coming Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections.

Kolabtingon barangay captain Bartolome Luab went to Mayor Nelson Garcia after a lawyer allegedly denied him notarial services for his complaint to be filed before the Commission on Elections.

Garcia said that Luab was told by the lawyer that he cannot notarize the documents as he is a lawyer of the Liberal Party.

“Gibalibaran ang kapitan kay LP kuno siya nga abogado. Unsa man diay iyang gipanumpaan nga pagka-abogado?” Garcia said.

This prompted Garcia to advise Luab to look for another lawyer outside Dumanjug.

However, Garcia said the lawyer is a resident of barangay Poblacion Sima where Vice Mayor Efren Guntrano “Gun-gun” Gica lives.

Both the lawyer and Gica could not be reached for comment.

Garcia said other barangay captains echoed the same complaint as Luab.

“I am afraid sa pattern kay almost all my barangay captains nag-reklamo sad bahin ani’ng mga flying voters,” he said.

He said that barangay captains were asking why registrants were not asked to show proof of residency before they were registered.

Garcia said that he himself might also file a protest before the Comelec.  (FREEMAN)