Cayetano claims harassment in petition vs his and wife's House bids

MANILA, Philippines — A petition questioning his and his wife's candidacies in separate legislative districts is just harassment, former Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano said Thursday.

Speaking on ANC’s "Headstart" on Thursday, Cayetano said that the complaint filed by Taguig voter Leonides Buac Jr. is “pure political harassment.”

The Cayetanos have long held elective positions in Taguig.

On November 13, Buac filed a petition before the Commission on Elections to deny due course or to cancel the certificates of candidacy of Alan Peter and of Taguig City Mayor Lani Cayetano.

Alan Peter is gunning for the congressional seat of the First District of Taguig-Pateros, while Lani is vying to become the representative of the Second District of Taguig.

The couple listed separate addresses on their COCs. Alan Peter filed as a resident of Barangay Bagumbayan while Lani declared that she lives in Barangay Fort Bonifacio, villages in Taguig that are about 7 kilometers apart.

Petitioner: One legal residence at a time

Buac, in his petition prepared through the aid of lawyer Emilio Marañon III, pointed out that a married couple can only maintain one legal residence at any given time.

"The usual place of abode of the husband and wife, as jointly fixed by them, is their one legal residence for the purpose of running for public office," the petition read.

But Alan Peter claimed that the petition has no basis. He also alleged that the Buac’s lawyer was backed by former Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes.

“These are guys appointed by [former President Benigno Aquino III]. There’s an Aquino dynasty, Abad dynasty, and Abaya dynasty but you didn’t hear anything from him,” he pointed out.

The 1987 Constitution prohibits political dynasties but Congress, which is historically dominated by political families, has yet to pass an enabling law for the ban. 

Aquino, Abad, Abaya dynasties

Aquino, before becoming senator and later president, was congressman for Tarlac's Second District from 1998 to 2007. During that period, Tarlac's First District was represented by Gilberto Teodoro, Aquino's second cousin. The Third District was represented by Jesli Lapus, an uncle.

Batanes, which has only one legislative district, has been represented by members of the Abad family. Members of the Abaya clan, meanwhile, have represented the province's First District since the 10th Congress. 

Buac, in his petition, also noted that the eldest of the Cayetano siblings, Rep. Pia Cayetano (Taguig), is running for senator while their younger brother Lino Cayetano—also a former Taguig congressman—is running for mayor to replace sister-in-law Lani.

Alan Peter earlier said that he and his wife are running “because our constituents trust us that their interests would continue to be promoted and protected.” — Kristine Joy Patag