CEBU City Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella believes the case filed to disenfranchise 173 voters in Barangay Kamagayan is politically motivated, claiming all of them are supporters of Barug PDP-Laban.
Labella, standard bearer of Barug Partido Demokratiko ng Pilipinas-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) in Cebu City, said the names identified for delisting are loyal supporters of Barangay Kamagayan Captain Raquel Avila.
“Well, of course, it’s a matter of record that Barangay Captain Raquel Avila is with us. It cannot be denied,” Labella said.
He said it is obvious the three petitioners were ordered by their political opponent, the Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK), to slash his potential votes.
Labella described this as a political ploy since he would lose votes if the 173 voters will be disenfranchised.
The 173 residents were victims of a demolition in 2003 and were provided relocation in Cubacub, Mandaue City. They, however, remain registered voters of Kamagayan.
Labella said lawyer Floro Casas, who represents the residents, will file a motion to dismiss the petition on the basis that it was filed six days after the Feb. 1 deadline.
But the petitioners’ camp, through its legal counsel lawyer Florleane Sacares, said they filed the petition on Feb. 1 but paid the docket fee on Feb. 7 after the court told them that the P50,000 they paid was not enough.
Sacares added that the filing covered 15 precincts where the 173 voters were registered.
He said the issue was resolved after the executive judge issued a favorable decision. (From PAC of SuperBalita Cebu, KAL)