CEBU City Councilor Gerardo Carillo admitted yesterday that Team Rama supported the disqualification case filed against incumbent Cebu City south district Rep. Rodrigo Abellanosa before the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
“The mayor has said that it is the party,” Carillo told reporters after Mayor Michael Rama’s press conference yesterday at the construction site of the new Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC).
Carillo is running under Team Rama against Abellanosa for next year’s elections.
During his press conference, Mayor Rama was asked about Abellanosa’s statement that the disqualification case against him was initiated by Team Rama.
“Kinsa man diay laing mo-initiate? (Who else will initiate?) Who will initiate? Hello? If ever it is true or not, who will initiate?,” Rama said.
Philip Banguiran asked Comelec to disqualify Abellanosa, who has been found by the Ombudsman-Visayas guilty of grave misconduct.
Banguiran had also filed the complaint against Abellanosa before the anti-graft office.
The Ombudsman dismissed Abellanosa and perpetually disqualified him from public office. Abellanosa has appealed the ruling.
Abellanosa, a former city councilor, was found guilty of grave misconduct when he signed the agreement between the city government and the Asian College of Technology for city scholars to enroll in the school, where he was also a trustee-president.
Based on the ruling, Banguiran said Abellanosa should not be allowed to run for reelection.