CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – The Commission on Elections cancelled on Wednesday the certificate of candidacy for city councilor of a popular broadcast journalist due to “material misrepresentation.”
“The Certificate of Candidacy of Respondent Jun John Susi for position of Member, Sangguniang Panglungsod of the City of San Fernando, Pampanga is hereby CANCELLED,” read the resolution promulgated on March 8, 2022 by the Former First Division of the Comelec.
The case for the cancellation of Susi’s COC questioning his residency in the city was filed by several San Fernando residents.
Susi who anchors public affairs programs in a local radio station and a cable channel here is currently on his third and last term as councilor of Lubao town. He filed his COC for councilor in the City of San Fernando last October under the Team Lugud Fernandino of mayoralty bet Vice Mayor Jimmy Lazatin.
The 14-page resolution said “…Respondent (Susi) deliberately misled the electorate as to his qualifications for the office he seeks to be elected when he misrepresented a material fact in her (sic) COC.”
Citing Velasco vs. Comelec, it said “the Supreme Court held that ‘… a candidate who falsifies a material fact cannot run; if he runs and is elected, cannot serve; in both cases, he or she can be prosecuted for violation of election law. … these facts are those that refer to a candidate’s qualification for elective office, such as his or her citizenship and residence.”
The resolution furthered that “material misrepresentation in a COC is an election offense under Section 262, in relation to Section 74 of the OEC (Omnibus Election Code).”
“Hence, the election aspect of this case should be referred to the Law Department for the conduct of preliminary investigation as there may be a possible violation of election laws,” it recommended.
The resolution was signed by Presiding Commissioner Marlon Casquejo and Commissioner Aimee Ferolino.
Susi’s comment
“The decision is not final. I will file a motion for reconsideration. The First Division did not consider all our evidence which would clearly show that I am a resident of San Fernando,” so was Susi quoted when sought for his comment.
