Balikbayan candidate: “Not so fast, Mister!”
DISQUALIFICATION CASE IN AGNO
AGNO— The resolution of the disqualification case filed by the incumbent mayor here against his rival in the May elections over citizenship issue is far from over.
This became apparent when the Commission on Elections (Comelec) Second Division ordered the motion for reconsideration filed by candidate Gualberto Sison, the respondent, to be elevated to the Commission en banc for proper disposition.
Sison maintained that contrary to reports being circulated by Mayor Jose Pajeta Jr., the incumbent mayor, that he had been disqualified to run, he said the case has been elevated to the Commission en banc for proper disposition.
The order was issued dated Feb. 19 signed by Presiding Commissioner Elias Yusoph on the Jose Pajeta Jr versus Gualberto Sison case.
Sison filed his motion for reconsideration after his counsel received on Feb. 12 a Comelec resolution dated Feb. 1 granting the petition of Pajeta and accordingly, “the certificate of candidacy of respondent Gualberto Ramirez Sison for the position of mayor of the municipality of Agno, Pangasinan is hereby cancelled”.
Sison reiterated that as early as Sept. 12, 2012 he made a personal and sworn renunciation of his US citizenship before the consular official of the U.S. Embassy in Manila to comply with the election law requiring his renunciation of his US citizenship.
“Regrettably, however, the U.S. Embassy in Manila did not give him a copy of his Oath of Renunciation,” Sison’s motion for reconsideration filed by his counsel partly read.
The motion said it was the very reason why during the Preliminary Conference on December 4, 2012, respondent through his counsel, manifested before the Honorable Commission on Elections to issue a subpoena duces tecum for the consular official of the U.S. Embassy in charge of safekeeping the sworn renunciation of U.S. citizenship of the respondent to bring said document before the Comelec and to testify on it.
Sison said he again renounced his US citizenship on Sept. 26, 2012 before Atty. Rolando Sinlao, a public officer authorized to administer an oath, in order to run for public office in the Philippines, as a reiteration of his renunciation personally made before the consular official on Sept. 12, 2012.—Eva Visperas
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