Negros mayoralty bet faces disqualification

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines – A mayoralty candidate in Salvador Benedicto town in Negros Occidental is facing a disqualification case for alleged misrepresentation of residence.

Seven residents of the town filed a petition with the Commission on Elections in Manila seeking the cancellation of the certificate of candidacy of businessman Ramon Lacson Jr.

Petitioners Vicente Berangberang, Bezalel Sumiller, Marino Olimpo, Elmo Amit, Nelson Ortiz, Vicent Bachoco and Rene Valiao, who filed the complaint on Oct. 21, said Lacson stated in his COC that he has been a resident of  Purok Ipil-Ipil, Barangay Bunga, Salvador Benedicto for more than five years.

The petitioners said there is no truth to Lacson’s declaration, claiming the mayoral aspirant is a resident of Barangay Bata in this city.

“We have personal knowledge of the fact that he is not a resident of Purok Ipil-Ipil as most of us have  been residents of the same barangay or municipality for so many years. We have not seen him or have known that he slept there even for a single day,” they said.

The petitioners said there is nothing in the records of the municipal assessor’s office that shows Lacson owns property in Purok Ipil-Ipil.