ANGELES CITY – Charges and counter-charges were filed between incumbent Balibago Barangay Captain Tony Mamac and his political rival, former councilor Alfie Bonifacio, following the Commission Elections’ (Comelec) dismissal of the disqualification case filed by the latter against the former.
Mamac told Punto at the sidelines of the State of the City Address (SOCA) of Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan last week that he would seek moral and exemplary damages, file charges for perjury, falsification of public documents and violation of the Omnibus Election Code against Bonifacio within this week.
But upon arrival from Hong Kong last Sunday, Bonifacio dared Mamac to “prove it.” Bonifacio said he has remained silent after he filed a disqualification case against Mamac as an election protest that was recently dismissed by the Comelec. He said Mamac is just politicking.
If found guilty, Bonifacio could face perpetual disqualification from holding public office. Bonifacio and Mamac are bitter political rivals after they contested the vice mayoralty race in 2010, which they both lost to incumbent Vice Mayor Vicky Vega-Cabigting.
The two rivals then clashed in the October 2013 barangay polls where Mamac emerged winner. Meanwhile, in its resolution dated July 8, 2014, the Comelec’s First Division stated that the petition of Bonifacio seeking Mamac’s disqualification was filed beyond the reglementary period as provided by Rules 23 and 25 of the Commission’s rules and procedures.
Bonifacio filed the petition before the head office of Comelec on December 3, 2013, more than a month after the barangay elections on October 28, 2013.
“Regardless of whether the instant petition seeks the cancellation of Mamac’s CoC (certificate of candidacy) under Rule 23 or one to disqualify him under Rule 25, the petition was filed only on December 3, 2013, 53 days after Mamac filed his CoC on October 11, 2013 and 35 days after October 29, 2013 when he was proclaimed as the duly elected punong barangay of Balibago,” said the Comelec Resolution signed by Commissioners Lucenito Tagle, Christian Robert Lim and Al Parreno.
Bonifacio claimed that Mamac should be disqualified because the latter filed before the Comelec a withdrawal of his candidacy. But Mamac said Bonifacio purportedly presented a fabricated affi davit of withdrawal notarized by Lawyer Leoncio M. Clemente and forged his signature.
