Oppositors insist Benitez not resident of Mandalangan

THE oppositors on the application for registration of former Third District representative Alfredo "Albee" Benitez insisted that Benitez is allegedly not a resident of Barangay Mandalagan.

Oppositors's lawyer Jesi Howard Lanete, in a press conference, said that during the Election Registration Board (ERB) hearing at the Commission on Elections (Comelec)-Bacolod Monday, July 19, they submitted their affidavits and supporting evidence in support of their opposition to the application for registration of Benitez in Barangay Mandalagan.

He said they also submitted additional evidence to refute the false claim of Benitez in his answer.

The hearing was led by the City Election Registrar Kathrina Cana along with Civil Registrar Head Hermilo Pauyon and Bacolod Schools Division Superintendent Gladys Sales. Also present in the hearing were the three oppositors Hector Yula, Teodoro Abao and Jonah Abao, Benitez along with his legal counsel.

"One of the statements that Benitez made when he filed his answer was that the oppositors are incorrect and that they are lying. We take exception to this because the oppositors have been longtime residence already of Barangay Mandalagan," Lanete said.

He said that as part of Benitez answer was that the testimonies of neighbors have greater primacy and weight.

He said they also presented during the hearing the testimony of Benitez's neighbors, who lives at the house directly across the property that Benitez is claiming to residing.

He added that Benitez's neighbor already executed an affidavit stating that Benitez does not live in Barangay Mandalagan and that he has never seen him there.

"The question that the ERB has to resolve is simple, at the time that Benitez filed his application to register as a voter of Barangay Mandalagan, Bacolod City, did he already established his domicile thereat? These oppositors, witnesses will prove that he failed to do so," Lanete said.

On July 13, 2021, Hector Yula, Teodoro Abao and Jonah Abao filed an opposition to the application for registration of Benitez in Bacolod. They filed the petitions on the basis that Benitez is allegedly not a resident of Bacolod City.

The opposition was filed as the political fever in Bacolod City has been heating up after Benitez transferred his voter's registration from Victorias City to Bacolod City, and has been reported to be challenging the reelection bid of incumbent Mayor Evelio Leonardia in the May 9, 2022 elections.

Lanete said that Benitez had not yet filed his position paper and they requested the ERB to allow them to submit it within three days, then they will wait for the decision of the ERB.

Aside from Benitez, they also filed the same opposition against 220 applicant voters who allegedly came from other cities and municipalities on the ground that they are not residents or domiciliaries of Bacolod City.

Jonah Abao, a resident of Abkasa, Barangay Mandalagan, said he is a resident of Barangay Mandalagan for almost 45 years and for the long period of time, they can justify who are the residents of Barangay Mandalagan, especially the Mountain View Subdivision.

"We filed for the nullification of the application for registration of Benitez because since I was the field implementor of Barangay Operation Bureau in 1995 to 1998, the Barangays, Bata, Mandalagan and Banago, were my cluster areas. I am also the team leader of the census of the National Statistics Office and I also worked with the Central Negros Electric Cooperative as district member of the disconnection team so I know very much the actual or bona fide residents of Mountain View Subdivision, and I have not seen Benitez or his family residing on that area," he said.

Trending

No stories found.

Just in

No stories found.

Branded Content

No stories found.
SunStar Publishing Inc.
www.sunstar.com.ph