ANOTHER high-profile disqualification case was filed before the Commission on Election (Comelec), this time involving Juanito “Jonvic” Remulla for allegedly vote-buying in Cavite.
A certain Efepania B. Sunico filed a petition at the Comelec Clerk of the Commission after Remulla’s camp engaged in the alleged illegal activity on May 4, 2019 in Bacoor, Cavite.
“It is respectfully prayed of this Honorable Commission that after due notice and hearing, judgement be rendered to . . . disqualify Juanito Victor C. Remulla (A.K.A Jonvic Remulla) as gubernatorial candidate for giving material consideration to influence induce or corrupt the voters (vote-buying),” Sunico said in her petition.
She also asked the Comelec to remove Remulla’s name from the official list of gubernatorial candidates in Cavite for the forth coming May 13 polls.
The 9-page petition said Remulla’s camp distributed brown envelops containing P200 peso bills to people, who attended Remulla’s political rally that day.
Sunico claimed she was able to document the incident by taking pictures and videos of it using her mobile phone. She attached the said pieces of evidence in her petition.
As an additional proof, she claimed the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-Cavite Provincial Field Unit (CIDG-Cavite PFU) conducted a surveillance and police activity related to the incident.
The CIDG operation supposedly resulted in the arrest of some of the persons involved in the alleged vote-buying activity.
Copies of the Joint Affidavit Coordination Form, Booking Sheets, and mug shots of persons involved and/or coordinators of respondent and photos of the brown envelopes with P200 bills were also included in the petition.
The petition was filed by Sunico’s legal counsel, Mynoa Sto. Domingo, on May 8, 2019.
In an interview, Sto. Domingo told reporters it took them four days after the incident to file the petition since they have to collate the necessary proof.
She also noted her client, who is not affiliated with Remulla’s rival candidates, still insisted on filing the case despite facing death threats.