Proclamation of winning village chief suspended
The proclamation of Noriel Arsulo, winning village chief of Brgy. Nabitasan, La Paz district, was suspended following an order from the Commission on Elections First Division.
The COMELEC decision stemmed from the petition filed by incumbent village head Norberto Teves Jr., who was among the councilmen who charged Arsulo for nepotism before the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas.
Arsulo was dismissed last July after he was found guilty for appointing his stepdaughter Barbara Joy Ignis Aroza as village secretary, but he won by a large margin against Teves in Monday’s election.
The Ombudsman stated that Arsulo violated the provisions of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
Meanwhile, the COMELEC will not proclaim four barangay councilors seeking reelection even if they win in Monday’s elections, a report of the Philippine News Agency said.
City Assistant Elections Officer Jonathan Sayno said they have received a certified list of last-termers from the Department of Interior and Local Government and they found out that four barangay council members who ran are already on their last term.
They are Roger Naldoza Simon of Brgy. Jalandoni Wilson, City Proper; Sanny John Tolentino of Brgy. San Isidro; Candelaria Jardenil of Barangay El 98; and Alberto Lanaria of Barangay Seminario, all in Jaro district.
Sayno said the COMELEC has issued a ruling stating that these candidates will not be proclaimed if they win and should they insist, a case for an election offense will be filed against them.
Meanwhile, 17 candidates for punong barangay in the city have been assured of victory since Day 1 of the campaign for being unopposed in Monday’s polls.
They are from barangays Malipayon-Delgado, Hipodromo, Legaspi-De la Rama, Liberation, Rizal, Roxas Village, Sampaguita, Tanza Esperanza, Sto. Nino Norte in Arevalo; M.V Hechova, San Jose, San Pedro and Tagbak in Jaro; Aguinaldo and Libertad, Lapuz in La Paz, and Poblacion and Tap-oc in Molo district.
Twenty-three candidates for SK chairman are also unopposed.*PNA
