Majarucon-Sia: Decision may come after election

By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) will raffle the disqualification petition filed by local journalist Edgar Cadagat against incumbent Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia. Comelec-Bacolod elections supervisor, Atty. Mavil Majarucon-Sia, said the petition would be raffled before the Comelec Office of the Clerk of the Commission, where a subsequent hearing will be held.

According to the petition, dated November 13, Leonardia’s certificate of candidacy showed he selected “No” when responding to a question asking if he had been found liable of any offense. Cadagat pointed to an earlier Office of the Ombudsman decision that found the mayor guilty in connection to an allegedly anomalous P49 million purchase of furniture and fixtures.

The decision, however, was later reversed by the Court of Appeals.

Leonardia called the disqualification petition “politically motivated.”

Meanwhile, Majarucon-Sia said a final decision may not come before election day. She explained, the Comelec is currently handling other disqualification cases./DGB, WDJ