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Friday, January 16, 2004
Comelec asked to disqualify Abines bet
By Karen M. Flores
Sun.Star Staff Reporter
A RESIDENT of Samboan, Cebu asked that a member of the Abines clan, the only challenger of reelectionist Mayor Peter John Calderon, be disqualified because he (Abines) is not a resident of the southern town.
Meanwhile, the man who shares the surname of Cebu City Councilor Danilo Fernan who is also running for congressman in the city’s north district told Comelec he should not be disqualified because he is “very serious in his desire to serve the poor.”
At the provincial Comelec office, only one candidate withdrew his certificate of candidacy yesterday to make way for a substitute.
Political parties and candidates in all positions have until noontime of May 10 to make changes, after the Comelec will return to the manual counting of votes.
Wendell Sevilleno, Alayon party’s lone candidate for Provincial Board member in the first district, withdrew while labor lawyer Alfredo Garcia Jr. filed his certificate of candidacy as Sevilleno’s substitute.
In his petition to disqualify John Carl Abines, Federito H. Ferrolino said Abines actually resides in Santander, a neighboring town where he used to serve as president of the Sangguniang Kabataan.
This will be Abines’ second try for the mayoralty seat as well as his second race against Mayor Calderon who defeated him in 2001.
Because of the residency issue, Ferrolino said they have also filed a petition to exclude Abines from Samboan’s list of registered voters.
Ferrolino said a deed of sale for a lot in Samboan, which Abines presented as proof of his residence there, is “simulated and fictitious, done only for the purpose of supporting his spurious claim that he is indeed a resident of Samboan.”
In Cebu City, Russo Fernan said that contrary to Danilo’s claim, he did not file his poll papers “in anticipation” of his distant cousin’s bid because he did not know Danilo “would become a token candidate of a party (which is) practically bankrupt of credible personalities.”
Russo further said Danilo showed his being “trapo” (traditional politician) by offering to buy him off just so he would withdraw his candidacy.
He alleged in his answer to Danilo’s petition to have him disqualified that the councilor called him on the telephone and “arrogantly” told him he had secured P60 million “to buy his way to Congress.”
Russo said his being an independent is no basis to disqualify him either because having no party, “I cannot be beholden. Besides, political parties at present are a dime a dozen.”
As for Danilo’s claim that Russo is no longer physically fit to launch a campaign after having suffered six cardiac arrests in the past, “after surviving (these), the good Lord must have designed for (me) to perform here on earth and be elected as congressman and serve the poor.”
(January 16, 2004 issue)
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