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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Manila council backs De Alban vs Comelec

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The Manila Council of Leaders is throwing its support behind senatorial candidate and lawyer Angelo de Alban, whom the Commission on Elections law department has petitioned to disqualify as a supposed nuisance candidate.

Manila council backs De Alban vs Comelec
De Alban

The Council of Leaders is a group of presidents of different urban poor organizations in the National Capital Region. It is under the Field Office Division of the Presidential Commission on Urban Poor, which protects the rights of the urban poor on housing, especially informal settlers.

In a statement of support issued by its president Tomas E. Jaldo Jr., the council said:  “The leadership and the group are united in supporting the bid of Atty. Angelo de Alban for senator.”

In a separate press conference in Quezon City, the lawyer and university professor said he was surprised by the Comelec petition to disqualify him, allegedly on the grounds of “lack of bona fide intention to run for office” and “financial incapacity.”

“Because I’m just a teacher and a lawyer, I’m already a nuisance candidate?” De Alban said. “They shouldn’t look down on us, not with the clamor for new faces [in government] and the uproar over politicians with criminal cases filing their certificates of candidacy.”

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The Comelec petition states that while De Alban’s professions are noble ways to earn a living, “absent clear proof of his financial capability, respondent will not be able to sustain the financial rigors of waging a nationwide campaign.”

“Just after [Comelec] Commissioner [Rowena] Guanzon stated in an interview that money is not the sole issue but the qualification of the candidates, they filed this disqualification case,” De Alban said. “We will fight this.”

De Alban’s legislative agenda includes education, agriculture, health and housing for the urban poor. He is also in favor of re-evaluating the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion [Train] Law.

“I’ve been going around the country, even abroad, consulting various groups for my legislative agenda. How can they say I’m not serious in running [for the Senate]?” De Alban explained. “They can see the places I’ve been to in my Facebook account.”

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