Saturday, October 20, 2007 Disqualification bids filed against Faelnar, others By Jujemay G. Awit Sun.Star Staff Reporter
DESPITE a Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) ruling that Barangay Captain Eugenio “Jingjing” Faelnar can still run for reelection, a petition to disqualify him was still filed yesterday.
Lawyer Salvador Solima filed the petition before the Commission on Elections (Comelec) Provincial Office.
It was one of several petitions for disqualification filed on the first day of the official campaign for the Oct. 29 barangay and youth elections.
Pangan-an Barangay Captain Vergelio Casiao of Lapu-Lapu City also filed a disqualification petition against Climaco Abellana Tatoy Jr., who is running for barangay chief.
Casiao claimed that Tatoy does not even live in Pangan-an.
Solima, in his two-page petition, quoted a DILG ruling that elected barangay officials are barred from seeking reelection if they have already served three terms.
Solima asked the Comelec to nullify Faelnar’s certificate of candidacy and declare him in violation of the “three-term limit as provided by law.”
But DILG 7 Director Pedro Noval Jr., in a letter dated Oct. 15, has said that Faelnar “could still run for another term as punong barangay.”
The letter was addressed to Faelnar’s legal counsel, Julius Ceasar Entise.
Faelnar, who is also the president of the Association of Barangay Councils, first ran and won as barangay captain in 1994. He was reelected in 1997 and 2002.
Faelnar’s service as barangay captain was interrupted in 1997, though, when he was not able to immediately sit after winning in the elections because of an electioneering case he faced then.
He said he only assumed his post by February 1998, after the case filed by then barangay councilor Anthony Luy was dismissed.
Residency
As to Casiao’s protest, the incumbent village chief claimed that Tatoy’s residence is at 2443 Pedro Guevarra and Blumentritt Sts. in Tondo, Manila.
But Tatoy registered as a voter in precinct 0507-B in Pangan-an, Lapu-Lapu City.
According to Casiao’s petition, this was only so Tatoy can run against him.
Casiao said that Tatoy only comes home to Lapu-Lapu City during the annual fiesta.
“Not being an actual and permanent resident, not only is he disqualified to run but also to register as a voter, as the law requires for the registration (after) at least six months residency, for which reason his registration is null and void,” Casiao’s petition read.
In a joint affidavit, Casiao’s neighbors in Pangan-an—Primitivo Torrevillas, Marcos Estoy and Mario Caballa—also claimed that Tatoy resides and sells pork in Manila.
