Petitioner seeks dismissal of Abellanosa from poll race

Councilor Gerry Carrillo shows a copy of a motion submitted by Philip Banguiran to Comelec. (CDN PHOTO/JOSE SANTINO S. BUNACHITA)

A CEBU City resident petitioned the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to already disqualify Rep. Rodrigo “Bebot” Abellanosa of Cebu City’s south district from seeking re-election in May.

In a motion for early resolution filed at the Comelec’s first division, Philip Banguiran said Abellanosa is no longer qualified to run for office after the Ombudsman ordered him dismissed from service.

“Petitioner respectfully moves for the early resolution of the above-entitled case and to immediately cancel the Certificate of Candidacy of the respondent in order not to allow a miscarriage of justice, especially that the respondent has been misleading his constituents about his eligibility and qualification for the office he is presently seeking,” Banguiran’s motion stated.

Banguiran earlier filed a complaint against Abellanosa to seek the cancellation of his COC.

Both parties already submitted their respective memoranda to the Comelec which already called for a case conference last December 14, 2015.

In their latest motion seeking the early resolution of the case, Banguiran also attached a copy of the Feb. 10 endorsement of Deputy Ombudsman for the Visayas Paul Elmer Clemente asking Comelec chairman Andres Bautista to already implement the Ombudsman’s earlier ruling on Abellanosa’s disqualification.

Councilor Gerardo Carillo, who is challenging Abellano’s re-election bid, distributed copies of Banguiran’s motion to reporters in a press conference held on Thursday morning.

He admitted that he is personally following up on the case since “they are seeking for justice.”

“It’s actually the party (Team Rama) that will benefit. Not just me because it’s the party who filed the disqualification,” Carillo said.

He said he hopes the Comelec will already resolve the case since currently there is “a cloud of doubt on Bebot’s candidacy.”