Sunday, September 07, 2008 Teachers 'coerced' to defend Loot's camp, Corro alleges
ENGINEER Augusto Corro, the court-declared winner of the 2007 Daanbantayan mayoral elections, is calling his opponents desperate.
This, after reports that Daanbantayan teachers who served in the last elections were made to sign affidavits in favor of Mayor Sun Shimura and Vice Mayor Ma. Luisa Loot.
However, Corro believes these teachers were forced.
“The lamentable coercion of teachers to sign affidavits to revive the weakened defense of the Loots is an expensive act of desperation,” read a statement Corro sent to Sun.Star Cebu.
He also called it an act of “futility” since the affidavits cannot be used in court anymore. The case is now with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Manila.
As Liza Corro, Augusto’s sister and legal counsel, earlier explained, the battle at the Regional Trial Court (RTC) is over.
With Judge Antonio Marigomen ruling that Engr. Corro and Dr. Jose de Leon won in the 2007 elections the top two posts of Daanbantayan, the Corros said it is up to Shimura and Loot to secure a temporary restraining order (TRO) from the Comelec.
The order granting the joint motion to execute judgment pending appeal was signed by Judge Marigomen on Sept. 1. It said that Corro and de Leon can “immediately” take over the posts.
Corro, however, vowed to follow the rules of procedure and said he won’t assume office until 20 days later, the time given to Shimura and Loot to try securing a TRO.
He lamented, however, that the teachers are being used as political pawns.
Corro questioned why only one teacher was presented before the court when now, Shimura and Loot are claiming to have hundreds of teachers signing affidavits on their behalf.
“In their desperation to remain in power despite the ruling of the court, they are resorting to expensive moves in the hopes that they can win in the bar of public opinion,” Corro’s statement also read.
He also admitted having the support of Bogo City’s Martinezes and Lapu-Lapu City’s Radazas.
“Indirectly…definitely,” said Corro.
Corro is the brother of Barangay Captain Paz Radaza, the Lapu-Lapu City mayor’s wife. Corro also belongs to the same party as Bogo City Mayor Celestino “Junie” Martinez Jr., his wife Clavel who ran but lost in the 2007 vice gubernatorial race and their son Tining, who lost in the fourth district congressional race.
The House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal is hearing the electoral protest Tining filed against Rep. Benhur Salimbangon (Cebu Province, 4th district).
Corro said that the Martinezes and Radazas support him just as Salimbangon supports his rivals, Mayor Shimura and Vice Mayor Loot.
Salimbangon accompanied Shimura and Loot in their press conferences and a rally with supporters affirming their win in the 2007 elections.
Junie Martinez has denied having any hand in the court’s decision to declare Corro and de Leon winners by 3,391 votes and 1,311 votes, respectively, over Shimura and Loot.
While the court is in Bogo City, Junie said that Marigomen is highly independent. (JGA)
