THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) Second Division has ordered the cancellation of certificate of candidacy (COC) of Ormoc City Councilor Vincent Rama, who is running for board member of Leyte province.
In a resolution dated April 22, the Comelec Second Division said Rama committed false material representation when he declared that he is a resident of Kananga, Leyte over the past year and three months.
The resolution was signed by Comelec Second Division Chairperson Marlon Casquejo, and Commissioners Rey Bulay and George Erwin Garcia.
"Wherefore, premises considered, the petition is granted. Respondent Vincent L. Rama's COC for Member of Sangguniang Panlalawigan, 4th District, Province of Leyte for the 09 May 2022 NLE is hereby cancelled and denied due course, and votes that he may garner in the 09 May 2022 are considered stray," the resolution stated.
The petition, which shot down Rama’s candidacy for the 2022 national and local elections, was filed by Jesus Ortadilla, who claimed that the latter is a resident of Ormoc City, Leyte.
Ortadilla cited in his petition Section 89 of Republic Act 179, or the Charter of Ormoc City, and Article X, Section 12 of the 1987 Constitution, which state that qualified voters of Ormoc City, a highly urbanized city, "shall not be qualified and entitled to vote in the election of the provincial governor and the members of the provincial board of the Province of Leyte."
In response to the petition, Rama said he already abandoned his Ormoc residence, but the Comelec deemed it inconsistent to the representation made by her wife, Carmen Jean Rama, in her certificate of candidacy for councilor in Ormoc City where she listed their Ormoc address as her place of residence.
"Herein, when respondent filed on 08 October 2021 his COC for member, Sangguniang Panlalawigan, 4th District, Province of Leyte for the 09 May 2022 NLE, he was still the incumbent Councilor of Ormoc City. That verily, as a continuing requirement or qualification, the elected official must remain a resident there for the rest of his term. Respondent's incumbency as councilor of Ormoc City, an independent component city, requires him to continuously remain a resident thereof for his entire tenure," read the resolution.
"Moreover, respondent signed his COC, and subscribed and sworn to the veracity of his declarations therein, indicating that his false representations are deliberate, and will effectively mislead the electorate on his qualifications as member of Sangguniang Panlalawigan, 4th District, Province of Leyte," it added. (SunStar Philippines)