THE Election Registration Board (ERB) of the Commission on Elections (Comelec)-Taguig City has dismissed the application of former Taguig mayor Lino Cayetano and his wife, Fille, to transfer their voter registration from Taguig’s Second District to the First District of Taguig-Pateros.
In a 24-page resolution, the ERB said the couple failed to provide sufficient proof to support their claim that they have been residing in Pacific Residences in Barangay Ususan for two years and five months.
It noted the absence of standard identification documents usually submitted as proof of residence, such as a Philsys ID, Postal ID, Driver’s License, NBI Clearance, GSIS/SSS or UMID ID, or Barangay ID.
It said the only identification presented by the couple, their passports, did not support their residency claim.
In weighing the witnesses’ testimonies, the ERB gave significant value to the sworn statements of the barangay captains.
The captain of Barangay Ususan confirmed that she was unaware of the Cayetano couple moving to their barangay.
Meanwhile, the captain of Barangay Fort Bonifacio also provided a sworn statement, stating that he was aware that the Cayetano couple had multiple residences in Taguig, all of which are located within BGC, Barangay Fort Bonifacio.
Several residents of Pacific Residences also claimed they never saw the Cayetano couple in their village.
The ERB also noted that the Cayetano couple voted in Barangay Fort Bonifacio during the 2023 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections, indicating that they had no intention of abandoning Barangay Fort Bonifacio as their legal residence.
“These circumstances contradict their claim of planning to leave Barangay Fort Bonifacio to move to Barangay Ususan,” the resolution stated.
The board clarified, however, that its resolution does not revoke the Cayetano couple’s right to vote in the elections, as it only denies their request to transfer their registration to Barangay Ususan, as they are not residents there.
The two remained voters of Barangay Fort Bonifacio.
Lino, who served as Taguig-Pateros second congressional district representative from 2013 to 2016, has filed his certificate of candidacy to run for a seat in the House of Representatives in District 1.
He is a brother of Senator Pia and Alan Peter Cayetano.
Meanwhile, in Marikina City, Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III has filed a disqualification case against his potential opponent, Mayor Marcy Teodoro in the first congressional district of the city.
In an interview with reporters, Pimentel said they filed a petition before the Comelec to deny due course on Teodoro’s certificate of candidacy.
“Hindi siya tatakbo sa district 2 pero nagparegister siya doon noong February 28, 2020 tapos yun na nga napansin natin na parang umatras siya doon, lumipat sa district 2 kung saan siya galing pero ako abogado ako eh, kausap ko ‘yung ibang mga election lawyers, mukhang alanganin kasi September 26, 2024 na siya bumalik sa district 1,” said Pimentel.
“Ganun ‘yung argument natin na merong material misrepresentation sa COC kasi ‘yung residence niya at saka yung status as a voter hindi accurate, hindi tama. Dapat at least one year resident ka doon sa lugar dapat,” he added. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)
