Nueva Vizcaya gov denies poll violation
>> Tuesday, April 16, 2013
BAYOMBONG,
Nueva Vizcaya – Three-term Gov. Luisa Cuaresma, who is bidding to be the
province’s first congresswoman, has denied violating election rules on
extending donations, as alleged by her rival’s camp.
“Our
rivals are really determined to ease me out from the race. First, they wanted
to drop me from the congressional race based on mere technicalities. Now, they
want me out again by concocting charges that I violated election rules,” she
said.
Supporters
identified with the camp of Rep. Carlos Padilla have accused her of giving
donations during a recent gathering, which they said violates Section 104 of
the Omnibus Election Code and Commission on Elections (Comelec) Resolution No.
9385 which prohibit candidates from extending donations or favors in cash or in
kind. Such a violation would cause the disqualification or cancellation of the
certificate of candidacy of a candidate.
“We
know our law. We always stick to the rules. But obviously our opponent does not
want to face us fair and square before our electorate, that’s why they will do
everything for me to be disqualified from the race,” Cuaresma said.
Vice
Gov. Jose Gambito, who Cuaresma is supporting in his gubernatorial bid,
described the accusations as “completely without basis and just another ploy to
publicly smear the (governor’s) reputation and very high popularity.”
Both
Cuaresma and Gambito are running under the United Nationalist Alliance.
Padilla, who fielded his wife, Ruth, for governor, belongs to the Nacionalista
Party.
Cuaresma,
57, a housewife-turned politician, is bidding to end Padilla’s nearly
three-decade congressional dominance here. She rose to political stardom
following the 1988 killing of her husband, then Bambang town mayor Benjamin
Cuaresma Jr.
Cuaresma
served as mayor for three terms before becoming vice governor for two terms.
She won the governorship in 2004, making her the second woman governor of the
province.
Padilla,
68, is gunning for an unprecedented 29th year in Congress.
He
was appointed mayor of the then still undivided Dupax town before he won a seat
in the interim Batasan Pambansa in 1978, courtesy of the powerful
Kilusang Bagong Lipunan party of then President Ferdinand Marcos.
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