Red: Bakud not behind second DQ case vs Gwen

ALTHOUGH he clarified that the decision to file a second disqualification case against gubernatorial bet Gwendolyn Garcia was not the consensus of the Barug Alang sa Kauswagan ug Demokrasya (Bakud) party, outgoing party president Ramon “Red” Durano VI believes the former Capitol tenant should have just stayed away from Cebu politics for the sake of delicadeza.

In a gathering of Bakud members in Danao City on Saturday, Durano, the incumbent fifth district representative, said the second petition against Garcia was the decision of four Bakud lawyers and was not sanctioned by the party.

Durano is also the provincial chairman of the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), the national party of Bakud.

Durano said a certain Norma Puzon asked the help of their lawyers to build the case.

“She asked our lawyers if they can possibly help and I agreed. But she (Puzon) filed the case in her own capacity,” said Durano.

Despite denying having a hand on the move to disqualify Garcia, Durano said it is but appropriate that the case be filed.

“Wa man tay control ana nga naay mo-file og disqualification. And in fact, ngano man pod nga di sya ma-filan og disqualification nga kaklaro na man gyod ana oi. Ang question ana kay nganong mopugos pa man gyod sya og balik og dagan diri sa lalawigan sa Sugbo … I mean delicadeza na lang pod unta ba,” Durano said.

Durano added that the arguments of the party lawyers in filing the case was the conviction of Garcia in the Office of the Ombudsman for entering into unauthorized contract in backfilling the largely underwater Balili property in Naga City.

Garcia’s conviction entails an accessory penalty of perpetual disqualification from holding public office.

However, Garcia, the third district Congresswoman, argues that the decision is not yet final and executory since her appeal for the reversal of the decision is still pending in the Court of Appeals.

In a statement sent to reporters on Saturday, the lady lawmaker said Durano’s statement marks the start of mudslinging against her.

“People who speak of delicadeza should be the epitome of delicadeza themselves. Let he who has no sin cast the first stone,” said Garcia.

Aside from the disqualification case filed by Puzon and the Bakud lawyers, Atty. Edgar Gica of the Municipality of Dumanjug also filed a disqualification case against Garcia.