The Commission on Elections on Friday said that disqualified Duterte youth nominee Ronald Cardema should show proof alleging poll commissioner Rowena Guanzon has extorted P2 million for the approval of his nomination.
Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said the former national youth commission chairman should come out with concrete evidence to show who is telling the truth.
“But as far as the Comelec is concerned, Cardema might be in trouble because he admits that he attempted to bribe an election official,” Jimenez said.
“Ultimately, what’s his point? If you commit wrongdoing, do you deserve a reward? And if you made any misconduct, don’t expect a reward,” said Jimenez.
“So, again, if he feels that he has reason to file any sort of action or any legal recourse against an official of the Comelec or with a commissioner, I think he should go for it,” Jimenez said.
However, the Comelec spokesman said Cardema should prove his allegations in court and let the judgement fall where it should.
Cardema claimed Guanzon asked P2 million from his camp in exchange for a favorable vote on the accreditation of Duterte Youth party-list.
He said Guanzon’s emissary, a “congresswoman” delivered the money.
Unfazed by Cardema’s allegations, Guanzon said she would file her own charges against the former commissioner.
In an interview, Guanzon blamed Cardema for being “greedy” that affects the nomination of his wife who would have been qualified for the position.
“His wife was qualified, how many times do I have to say ‘stupid’ that your wife was qualified! But you kicked her out because you’re greedy! That’s the problem with people like you, you don’t follow the law,” Guanzon said.
Cardema’s wife, Ducielle Marie Suarez, became the last-minute substitute for his wife as Duterte Youth Party-list first nominee.
However, the Comelec First Division denied Cardema’s nomination in which Guanzon was one of the signatories.
In a television interview, Guanzon Truth said there was way that she would reach out to Cardema, saying that the latter is a “lying, overaged, trying hard, pretender.”
“Ba’t kami magbabati? I don’t even know him. ‘Wag sya magpakita sa akin, baka suntukin ko sya,” she said.
Cardema has been disqualified by the Comelec First Division, where Guanzon is a member, for being over the age limit for the party-list representative of a youth sector.
According to the party-list law, a party-list representative of a youth sector should be between 25 to 30 years old on election day. Cardema is already 34 years old during the May 13 polls.
May youth ba na 34 years old, eh sa party-list act 25-30 (years old ) lang, baka dugyot, hindi youth, dugyot ka na, hindi ka na youth Cardema,” Guanzon said.
The Comelec officials also said that when the party-list group submitted its list of nominees, the number one nominee was Cardema’s 29-year-old wife.
“Eh ganid sya, greedy. A day before the elections, pinalitan nya to which I objected,” she said.
“Alam mo kasi kung hindi naman nya naiintindihan yung mga proseso, kumuha na lang sya ng magaling na abugado, kyaw-kyaw nang kyaw-kyaw, hind mo pala naiintidihan ang rules namin eh, tapos nagsubmit sya ng new list, sya pa rin ang number one sa list. Ano ba talaga, which part of DQ you don’t understand? DQ, di ba ang dali-dali nun,” Guanzon added.
Guanzon said Cardema appeared to have buried himself in deeper trouble when he made a statement about the supposed P2 million he allegedly either offered or handed to a congresswoman for her.
She said attempting to bribe a commissioner is a “very grave offense.”
“First sinabi nya, nag-usap daw sila nung isang congresswoman na bibigay sya ng P2 million tapos, dinisqualify ko pa rin sya. Ngayon naman sa Unang Hirit sinabi nya nagbigay talaga sya ng P2 million pero dinisqulaify ko pa rin sya, ano ba talaga . . . just attempting to bribe a commissioner is a very grave offense
so, if that is his basis for an impeachment complaint, good luck,” she said.
Guanzon said his father felt insulted with the purported P2 million offer, adding “mas marami akong pera sa kanya.”
“P2 million? What is P2 million, naiinsulto ang tatay ko,” she said.
“Sabihin nya he bribed me with P2 million, itong mama na ito, gawin mo namang P200 million baka tanggapin ko yan,” she said in jest. “Grade 1 pa lang ako nagme-Mercedes Benz na ako papuntang Cadiz West Elemantary School”
Guanzon said persons like Cardema should not be in government.
“i don’t want him to look like the victim here, eh sya itong nagte-threaten as iha-harm ako, papatayin nya ako, mga pamangkin ko. Iyong nagba-bribe ng commissioners, hindi yan victim, corrupt yan. Iyan ang mga taong hindi dapat nakauspo sa pwesto,” she said.
Guanzon even dared Cardema to make true his threat of filing an impeachment complaint against her.
In turn she warned , “he is going to suffer for the rest of his life, we will sue him, he will go bankrupt defending himself.”
She also said Cardema should challenge her to a duel.
She said she could file a case now and have Cardema arrested for unjust vexation.
“Ngayon pa lang gusto kong ipaaresto na unjust vexation na yung ginagawa nya,” she said.
“He said his wife is already having threatened abortion at the hospital. Is it my fault? Your wife should blame you, eh dapat congresswoman na sya ngayon, pinalitan mo pa kasi, ganid ka,” Guazon added.
The fiery commissioner, however, acknowledged she is also concerned about her safety.
“I bought a new gun because of this,” she said.
“If you harm my family, I’m quite capable of killing somebody, hindi naman kami criminal, pero matagal na kami sa politika,” she said.