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By Leslie Ann Aquino
A mayoral aspirant in Narvacan is seeking the cancellation of the certificate of candidacy of his 2019 rival former Ilocos Sur Governor Luis Chavit Singson.
Petitioner Edgardo Zaragoza said Singson’s COC should be denied due course or cancelled because it contains a misrepresentation regarding his eligibility to run for mayor of Narvacan, Ilocus Sur with the intent to deceive and mislead the electorate.
Ilocos Sur Governor Luis Chavit Singson (Facebook)
In his petition, he said the incumbent Narvacan Councilor made a false material representation pertaining to his residence.
Zaragoza said for respondent to be eligible to run for mayor of Narvacan, he should have been a resident of the said municipality for at least one year immediately preceding the elections on May 13, 2019.
“However, respondent does not possess the one year residency requirement under the law. Respondent made a false representation in his COC when he declared under oath that he is eligible to run for mayor stating that he resides in No. 353 National Highway, Brgy. Sulvec, Narvacan, Ilocos Sur and has been residing there for more than four years, when the truth is he is neither a resident nor is he domiciled in Narvacan,” he said.
The respondent, Zaragoza said also has not established his personal or physical presence in Narvacan.
“Although respondent claims to reside in Brgy. Sulvec, residents and neighbors attest that they have never seen respondent stay nor sleep in the Sulvec property. In fact, they maintain that Sulvec is uninhabited,” he said.
“Even assuming without conceding that respondent has established his physical presence in Narvacan, factual circumstances indicate that he has no intention to stay in Narvacan nor to abandon his domicile of origin in Vigan,” added Zaragoza.
He said instead of displaying his supposed ties and identification with Narvacan, which could somehow indicate an intent to stay, the respondent’s actuation and activities still point to Vigan.
The petitioner also pointed how Singson has no family members or relatives nor an established business in Narvacan.
“Indeed, respondent’s misrepresentation is a deception. In claiming residence and domicile in Narvacan, respondent is misleading the electorate about his qualifications and supposed awareness of the conditions of the municipality,” Zaragoza said.
“In view of the foregoing, this Honorable Commission must deny due course to or cancel respondent’s COC,” he added.
The petition was filed at the Commission on Elections on November 12.
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