Sunday, August 24, 2008 Loot camp out to sue judge
BACK-TO-BACK rallies are being planned in Daan-bantayan today and tomorrow, as the camps of Augusto Corro and Mayor Sun Shimura vie for political control of the northern Cebu town.
Corro’s supporters are scheduled to hold a prayer rally this afternoon.
Supporters of Shimura and his mother, Vice Mayor Ma. Luisa Loot, will hold a rally tomorrow to protest the Regional Trial Court’s (RTC) decision declaring their proclamation null.
At least 7,000 who are expected to attend will sign a class suit against RTC Branch 61 Judge Antonio Marigomen, whom they accused of gross ignorance of the law, Loot said.
It was not clear how they expected to gather about 10 percent of the town’s population to attend the protest.
The court will hear on Tuesday a joint motion of Corro and his vice mayoralty candidate Jose de Leon to execute the judgment that declared them the winners of the May 2007 elections.
“Dinalian gyud ang tumong nila kay gi-target nila nga maka-take over si Itok (Corro) sa Aug. 28. Nasayop sila kay wala’y buhat sa demonyo nga mosaler (They’re rushing this because they want Corro to take office on Aug. 28. But the devil’s work never succeeds),” Loot said.
Challenge
She pointed out that the joint motion was filed only last Friday, Aug. 22.
Instead of crying over the results of the 2007 elections, the Martinezes and the Corros should just get ready for 2010, Rep. Benhur Salimbangon (Cebu, fourth district) said in a press conference with Shimura and Loot last Friday.
Salimbangon hinted he would love to face off with Bogo City Mayor Celestino “Junie” Martinez Jr. for the 2010 fourth district congressional seat.
“Let’s leave the 2007 elections behind... Inig 2010 na lang, hala! Magkontra ta (Let’s face each other in 2010)!” said Salimbangon.
“After all, you are not a stranger to the post,” said Salimbangon. Junie, like his wife Clavel, is a former congressional representative of the district.
Asked for comment, Martinez told Sun.Star Cebu: “My only comment is that Benhur’s challenge is not worth any discussion. I am hoping for a better opponent. Thank you.”
Loot also accused the Bogo City mayor and his wife of masterminding the alleged switching of ballots in court.
Their aim, claimed Loot, is to defeat Salimbangon in the election protest filed by their son Celestino Martinez III, now pending before the House Electoral Tribunal.
Signatures
The two co-chairmen in the revision of ballots appointed by Marigomen have testified before the tribunal that the signatures in the revised ballots are not theirs.
With Salimbangon’s support, Loot said she will file a string of criminal and administrative charges against Marigomen.
Teachers who served in the Board of Election Inspectors during the counting of the ballots at the precinct level will testify there was no fraud in the May 2007 elections, said Loot.
Loot again pointed out that her son Shimura won with 15,800 votes, compared to Corro’s 13,706, in the May 14 elections.
This is reflected in the Statement of Votes by Precincts as well as the Certificate of Proclamation.
She won as vice mayor with 16,520 votes, compared to 12,773 for de Leon.
When the revision of the ballots started on June 20, 2007, said Loot, Corro moved to have the ballots photocopied.
‘Switched’
When the actual revision of the ballots in the contested precincts ended on Aug. 1, 2007, Loot and Shimura asked for copies of the photocopied ballots so.
The protestants objected. But the court granted their request.
However, Loot said that the revisors and the two chairpersons of the revision committee were shocked that the signatures in the ballots being photocopied were no longer theirs.
The chairpersons further observed that the exhibit markings in the revised and contested ballots being photocopied were no longer in their handwriting, added Loot.
The chairpersons, Angeles Ancot and Modesto Cuico, testified to the change.
Loot alleged that the ballots were switched in court.
Salimbangon, meanwhile, also hinted that he might prod his younger brother Cesar Salimbangon, a contractor, to run for mayor of Bogo City.
Loot said she might try to regain the mayorship of Daanbantayan in 2010.
She said she wants to face Liza Corro in the mayoral race, referring to Augusto’s sister and lawyer in the successful electoral protest filed in Judge Marigomen’s sala.
But Atty. Corro snubbed the idea. “My brother is more than enough for her,” Liza’s text message to Sun.Star Cebu read.
“My brother is already there. In fact, the reason why he ran was because Loot challenged him in 2006 to run first as mayor, when my brother questioned Daanbantayan officials regarding the illegal fishing practices prevalent in our town.” (EOB/JGA)
