Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Mayor dared to defend ban of Naswak folks from Bokod polls
By Jane Cadalig
BENGUET Board Member Juan Nazarro Jr. on Tuesday challenged a municipal mayor to first provide the legal basis of his intention to bar sitio residents from voting in Bokod.
"(Bokod) Mayor Raymundo Celino should establish the legal basis of his intention," said Nazarro, referring to the mayor's earlier pronouncement that he would petition for the exclusion of Naswak residents from voting in Bokod.
Firm to his claim that Sitio Naswak in Barangay Ekip does not fall under the territorial jurisdiction of Bokod, Celino announced that he would ask for the exclusion of residents of the sub-village from voting in the town.
"Naswak residents should vote in Kayapa, (Nueva Vizcaya) because they do not belong to Bokod," said the mayor, adding that he would file the exclusion case before December 31.
Celino said there are about 139 registered voters in the area.
But Nazarro, chairman of the Provincial Board (PB) committee on legal matters, said Celino would find it hard to have his plans materialize. "The people in Naswak have been voting in Bokod for the past several years and no one has questioned this. To have them excluded would be hard to do," he said.
He however added the decision to have Naswak residents vote in Bokod or in Kayapa would depend on the court.
Naswak, which is claimed to be a sitio of Barangay Ekip, is in the middle of the ongoing tiff between Celino and members of the Benguet PB.
Celino claimed that based on the cadastral map of Bokod, Naswak is outside the town's territory but the PB says otherwise.
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Pangasinan. (November 8, 2006 issue)
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