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[av_heading heading=’Politics behind Lambunao mayor’s disqualification?’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=’30’ subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’18’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=” av-medium-font-size-title=” av-small-font-size-title=” av-mini-font-size-title=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”]
BY GLENDA SOLOGASTOA
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February 9, 2018
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ILOILO – Though he ran for vice mayor in the 2016 election – and eventually lost – former Lambunao mayor Vicente Ramirez denied political ambition drove him to seek Mayor Jason Gonzales’ disqualification.
Ramirez (erroneously identified as the incumbent vice mayor of Lambunao in yesterday’s report) said he won’t seek any elective post in the 2019 election.
He had been in public service for 38 long years already – serving as barangay captain, then as vice mayor, mayor of Lambunao, and Provincial Board member representing the 3rd District of Iloilo, he stressed.
“Waay takun ron plano mag intra sa pulitika. Ang akon nga d’ya ginahimo para da ya banwa namon kag sa mga pumoluyo sang Lambunao nga puro nahadlok mag-file kaso,” said Ramirez.
He expressed confidence that the Commission on Elections (Comelec) en banc will uphold its First Division’s ruling disqualifying Gonzales.
Ramirez filed a disqualification case against Gonzales in November 2015. He claimed Gonzales was not a resident of Lambunao.
Gonzales was then serving as Iloilo City councilor but was seeking to succeed his father Reynor as mayor of Lambunao in the May 2016 election.
Ramirez welcomed the Comelec First Division’s ruling. He said he was “happy.”
The former mayor, however, acknowledged Gonzales’ right to file a motion for reconsideration at Comelec.
“Kon madaog sila sa motion da, ti agwanta man kami eh. Pero kon i-uphold sang Comelec en banc ang decision, kundi makurokadlaw man ako,” said Ramirez.
He recalled personally appearing at the Comelec central office in Metro Manila when he filed the disqualification complaint against Gonzales. He believed it may be difficult for the poll body to reverse the First Division’s decision.
“Na-disqualify na sya sang Comelec, alang-alang i-twist nila na. Kon i-twist nila…asta sa Presidente maapelar ko ya eh,” said Ramirez.
Gonzales, meanwhile, asked for prayers from his supporters in Lambunao. He posted the following on Facebook: “I have done my best to serve the people of Lambunao in the past 19 months. Today, I can only ask for your prayers that I may be allowed to continue.”
Gonzales resigned from Iloilo City’s Sangguniang Panlungsod on Oct. 30, 2015 after filing his certificate of candidate for mayor of Lambunao.
“I believe my legal team put up a good defense but Comelec thought otherwise. We have five days to submit our motion for reconsideration,” he told reporters on Feb. 7, a day after receiving a copy of Comelec First Division’s decision./PN
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