MANILA – Ronald Cardema plans to file criminal charges and impeachment rap against Commission on Elections (Comelec) commissioner Rowena Guanzon.
Cardema, a denied nominee of the Duterte Youth party-list, accused Guanzon of demanding cash and favors since January in exchange for the accreditation of his group.
“Pwede kayong kasuhan d’yan. Kakasuhan namin kayo for extorting from us for accreditation,” Cardema said.
“Sa impeachment complaint, kung may tutulong sa’min, sa tingin ko meron pang inagrabyado ‘to, di lang kami sa tinagal-tagal na niya. Meron pa ngang mga kumausap samin na pati sila dinali nito dati,” he added.
Guanzon said filing an impeachment complaint was one of Cardema’s options.
“I told you he will file an impeachment complaint. Is it a betrayal of public trust to declare him DQ (disqualified) because he is overaged? All his moves are out of spite because he lost his dream of having millions in pork barrel funds,” she added.
Guanzon was vocal about her opposition to 34-year-old Cardema’s nomination, which the Comelec cancelled as the law requires youth representatives to be from 25 to 30 years old.
Meanwhile, the Palace stayed out from the issue after Cardema appealed to President Rodrigo Duterte over the weekend to step in and allow him to seat as the party-list’s nominee.
“The case between Mr. Cardema and commissioner Guanzon I think, is between the two of them,” said Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo. “Moreover, the President respects the independence of any constitutional body so the President has not interfered on any function of the commission as well as other constitutional body.”/PN
