MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang Sunday rejected former National Youth Commission Chairman Ronald Cardema's call for President Rodrigo Duterte to help him in his fight against Commission on Elections Commissioner Rowena Guanzon, whom he accused of extortion.
Cardema, who has been disqualified as nominee of the Duterte Youth party-list, claimed last Saturday that an emissary of Guanzon had asked him for political favors in exchange for the approval of the accreditation of his group. Cardema said the emissary, whom he claimed is a member of the House of Representatives, demanded the appointment of a lawyer as regional trial court judge in Iloilo.
READ: Comelec cancels Cardema nomination for Duterte Youth party-list
Guanzon, who has been critical of the nomination of the 34-year-old Cardema as representative of the youth group, has denied the allegation, dismissing it as an attempt to intimidate her into inhibiting from his case. The poll official has said she won't inhibit from Cardema's case and has advised his accuser to "study his case and get good lawyer."
Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said the president does not meddle in issues that do not concern the Palace.
"If he (Cardema) has a corruption charge, he should file charges. He doesn't have to go to news media (to talk) about it... File cases. Why does he have to drag the Palace to it?" Panelo said in a radio interview.
"We don't have anything to do with what he is doing. We will not intrude into anything that does not concern the Palace so that's between him and Commissioner Guanzon," he added.
READ: Comelec’s Guanzon denies extortion allegation, won’t inhibit from Duterte Youth’s Cardema case
Panelo said such stance applies even to supporters of the president.
"Alam mo, kahit na supporter pa ni presidente, pag merong bagay na ginawa yan na di maganda sa administrasyon e pinababayaan na lang namin siya (Even if he is a supporter of the president, if he does something that is not good for the administration, we would just leave him alone)," the presidential spokesman said.
Earlier this month, the Comelec ruled that Cardema is not qualified to become a nominee of a youth party list, saying he is too old to represent a party list that represents the youth.
Under the law, youth representatives should be at least 25 years old but not more than 30 on the day of the election. Cardema had argued that the age limit does not apply to him because he represents young professionals.
READ: Cardema denies threatening Comelec’s Guanzon, accuses poll official of 'playing victim'