Home sweet homes

THE opposition bloc in Talisay City questioned the residency of Rep. Eduardo Gullas (Cebu Province, first district), who is running for mayor in May.

City Councilor Romeo Villarante said some residents in Barangay Tanke have never seen Gullas in their neighborhood, even though the congressman is a registered resident in the area.

Villarante, who is running for vice mayor under the Liberal Party ticket, pointed out that the members of the Gullas family seem to have different residences.

While the congressman claimed to be a resident of Tanke, his grandson, Gerald Anthony “Samsam” Jr., declared his residence to be Dumlog. Talisay City Election Officer Corazon Moran revealed that the solon’s wife is a registered resident of the mountain barangay of Maghaway.

Tangke, Dumlog and Maghaway are all located in Talisay City.

Disqualification

The opposition plans to question the residence of Gullas and Samsam, and seek their disqualification in the May elections.

Samsam is running for congressman of the first district, replacing his grandfather.

Congressman Gullas described the plan of the opposition as “recycling old issues.”

“Wala na gyud na silay laing ikalabay? Ila pa gyud nang daginoton (Don’t they have anything else to throw at me? How could they settle for something so petty)?” Gullas asked.

Congressman Gullas said his residency in Talisay was affirmed by the Supreme Court even before he became the city’s first mayor.

Tanke Barangay Captain Perla Cabanes confirmed this.

She said the congressman has been resident of the barangay since 2001. She added that he even bought a lot there.

Other houses

“Kailangan gyud diay magpakita para maingnan na residente (Must you be seen to be considered a resident)?” she asked.

Villarante also pointed out that Congressman Gullas has a house in Barangay Guadalupe in Cebu City and in the neighboring town of Minglanilla.

Moran said Samsam and his brother, City Councilor Eduardo “Digul” Gullas III, are residents of Barangay Dumlog.

“Pamilya sila pero naglain-lain sila og puyo (The family members live apart)?” Villarante asked.

A resident of Tanke who asked not to be named said Congressman Gullas reportedly rents a house in the barangay but they never saw him and they heard he has moved out.

Samsam, in a separate interview yesterday, told Sun.Star Cebu that he lived in Tanke in 2008 and even voted in 2010 as a registered voter in the barangay. But he moved to Dumlog with his parents.

Samsam said he is renting a house owned by a family friend, Barangay Dumlog Councilor Cristito “Odong” Manto.

He said the opposition merely wants to discredit him and his grandfather to discourage voters.