Deretsahan
Unethical and highly irregular
By Bebot Villar
LAST July 7, 2015, Comelec released a list of 36 candidates who ran during the 2010 and 2013 elections nationwide, who will be charged for alleged overspending. The list did not include a single candidate from our town, Sto. Tomas.
Hence, I was totally surprised and shocked, to say the least, when my wife, former Mayor Vivien O. Villar of Sto. Tomas, the incumbent Mayor Dick Villar, former vice mayor, and their councilors were suddenly charged with overspending in the 2010 elections!
My wife daw overspent by FIVE THOUSAND THREE HUNDRED SEVENTY-TWO AND FIFTY-ONE CENTAVOS (P5,372.51) and, and for that, my wife was charged for overspending! Ito raw po ang halaga ng sumobra sa required na dapat ginastos! Can you believe that?
In the first place, it will be recalled that both my wife, Vivien, and nephew, Dick, ran unopposed for mayor and vice-mayor in 2010. They didn’t have to campaign o mag-ikot sa mga barangay dahil sila nga ay “unopposed.” They didn’t have to do sorties in the barangays because they were doing that regularly during their incumbency. In fact, my wife was unopposed in all her six terms as mayor!
If I may recall, too, when I started running for mayor of Sto. Tomas at the age of 23, for 5 consecutive terms and until I was succeeded by my wife and now Mayor Dick, we were all unopposed! I am not telling this para ipag-yabang. I am just sharing this to show that truth and how we serve the people of Sto. Tomas all these years.
So, how could former mayor Vivien and Vice Mayor, now Mayor Dick, overspend in an election where they had no opponents and did not have to campaign being unopposed? Worse, why of all the municipalities in Pangasinan, was Sto. Tomas was singled out? What gives? Something smells fishy here.
* * * *
What I found suspicious and unusual was alleged offer of legal services by Atty. Feliciano “Buds” Casingal, the Municipal Election Officer of Bayambang, to the respondents. (Atty. Buds is the husband of Atty. Maria Norina S. Tangaro-Casinga, the acting-Director IV and OIC, Legal Department of Comelec, the investigative arm of Comelec)! He then turned around and offered the services of Atty. Gina Resultay as counsel for the respondents! Bakit ganun??
It appears today that the alleged overspending case was filed by Comelec in the hope that the respondents would run to Atty. Buds for help, knowing that his wife could help since it was she who signed the subpoena. When the respondents consulted Ms. Vicky Santome Sanchez, the former Election Officer of Sto. Tomas, she ran to Atty. Buds. Pumasok sa bitag ang mga respondents. Kunwari naawa si Atty. Buds, so he offered Atty. Gina Resultay as their lawyer! Naku ha!
Ano ba ‘yun? Were the cases filed in order to avail of the legal services of Atty. Resultay? I heard, only my wife and my nephew did not engage the services of Atty. Resultay but the rest of the respondents ended up being represented by the lady lawyer even without seeing or communicating with her. Through it all, Atty. Buds allegedly assured the respondents that they can relax and sleep soundly if it is Atty. Resultay who will handle their cases. Ang galing naman!
All negotiations for Atty. Resultay’s services were allegedly done only through Atty. Buds? Bakit ganun?? They reportdly already paid attorney’s fees without even talking or seeing Atty. Resultay, and only through Atty. Buds Casingal.
I heard that respondent Vice Mayor Wilfredo Pescador already gave TEN THOUSAND PESOS (P10,000.00); and another TEN THOUSAND PESOS (P10,000.00) from Councilor Alfredo Eleccion, or a total of THIRTY THOUSAND PESOS (P30,000.00) was deposited by Councilor Stefania Vengco to Atty. Resultay’s bank account.
Ano ba ito? Pangungwarta lang ba ang ginagawa ng mga taong ito? Ang akala ko kasi public servants sila at public service ang pinag-kaka-abalahan ng isang Election Officer at ng OIC ng Comelec Legal Department!
I will ask for the assistance of the Comelec Chairman Andy Bautista, to check on these two issues. First, the reason behind the alleged malicious cases filed against my wife, nephew and other officials of Sto. Tomas. And secondly, the “connection” between the filing of the charges and the “legal assistance” offered by good Municipal Election Officer of Bayambang, Atty. Buds Casingal to the respondents
In my book, this is highly unethical and totally inappropriate for the husband of the head of the Law Department tasked to conduct preliminary investigation of complaints for election offenses, then provide the services of a lawyer for the respondents, with assurance to the latter that they have nothing to worry about their cases.
I believe the Ombudsman will be interested in the case too.
(For your comments and reactions, please email to: punch.sunday@gmail.com)
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