Manila Bulletin
Disqualified Duterte Youth nominee claims talks with congressmen to plot Guanzon impeach
Disqualified Duterte Youth nominee claims talks with congressmen to plot Guanzon impeach
Disqualified Duterte Youth nominee claims talks with congressmen to plot Guanzon impeach
Published Aug 19, 2019 03:53 pm
By Ben Rosario
Embattled former National Youth Council Chairman Ronald Cardema Monday disclosed that he has started talks with incumbent congressmen who will help him impeach Commissioner Rowena Guanzon of the Commission on Elections.
Ronald Cardema (Jansen Romero / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
A congresswoman who allegedly acted as Guanzon’s emissary in a supposed corrupt deal between Guanzon and Cardema will likely be implicated if the latter pursues legal action against the Comelec official.
Cardema, who used to work as staff of several congressmen, said a number of lawmakers have even shared to him their own bad experiences in dealing with Guanzon.
“Marami ring kumakausap sa aking mga dating congressmen na inagrabyado ni Bing (Guanzon’s nickname). I believe I have strong backing here,” he said. (Many former congressmen whom Bing offended have talked to me.)
Cardema, whose representation of Duterte Youth in Congress was denied by the Comelec, disclosed that he has in possession of solid evidence that could pin down Guanzon for impeachment offenses.
The spurned partylist nominee said he will file an impeachment complaint against Guanzon for alleged corrupt activities as a Comelec official.
He accused Guanzon of extortion for asking favors from him in exchange for a favorable ruling in the Comelec accreditation of his partylist group, Duterte Youth.
Through the intercession of an unnamed congresswoman, Guanzon allegedly demanded from Cardema his help in having the Comelec official’s recommendees for judge in Iloilo and district engineers of the Department of Public Works and Highways get appointed.
According to Cardema he just played along since he was already fully aware that Guanzon’s vote on the Duterte Youth accreditation was no longer needed.
Cardema said four Comelec officials have already affixed their signatures to the accreditation resolution thus, Guanzon’s approval was no longer required.
“She (Guanzon) started harassing me and my partylist group when I failed to help her recommendees,” said Cardema, who resigned from NYC to represent the Duterte Youth in the Lower House after it becme clear that the group will win a seat.
Comelec’s First Division that included Guanzon voted 2-0 in a recent resolution that junked Cardema’s bid to represent the partylist organization. The election body said he is not qualified to represent the group for being overaged.
Cardema chided Guanzon for the decision, saying that the original Duterte Youth nominees who won the Comelec accredittion last January were older than him.
“Elizabeth Cardema is 48 yet her nomination as our representative was accepted by Comelec,” he pointed out.
Guanzon lamented that Cardema had to peddle lies to the public out of spite “because he lost his dream of having millions in pork barrel funds.”
The Comelec official disclosed that she and members of her family have been receiving death threats since the First Division turned down Cardema’s bid to represent Duterte Youth in Congress.
Ronald Cardema (Jansen Romero / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
A congresswoman who allegedly acted as Guanzon’s emissary in a supposed corrupt deal between Guanzon and Cardema will likely be implicated if the latter pursues legal action against the Comelec official.
Cardema, who used to work as staff of several congressmen, said a number of lawmakers have even shared to him their own bad experiences in dealing with Guanzon.
“Marami ring kumakausap sa aking mga dating congressmen na inagrabyado ni Bing (Guanzon’s nickname). I believe I have strong backing here,” he said. (Many former congressmen whom Bing offended have talked to me.)
Cardema, whose representation of Duterte Youth in Congress was denied by the Comelec, disclosed that he has in possession of solid evidence that could pin down Guanzon for impeachment offenses.
The spurned partylist nominee said he will file an impeachment complaint against Guanzon for alleged corrupt activities as a Comelec official.
He accused Guanzon of extortion for asking favors from him in exchange for a favorable ruling in the Comelec accreditation of his partylist group, Duterte Youth.
Through the intercession of an unnamed congresswoman, Guanzon allegedly demanded from Cardema his help in having the Comelec official’s recommendees for judge in Iloilo and district engineers of the Department of Public Works and Highways get appointed.
According to Cardema he just played along since he was already fully aware that Guanzon’s vote on the Duterte Youth accreditation was no longer needed.
Cardema said four Comelec officials have already affixed their signatures to the accreditation resolution thus, Guanzon’s approval was no longer required.
“She (Guanzon) started harassing me and my partylist group when I failed to help her recommendees,” said Cardema, who resigned from NYC to represent the Duterte Youth in the Lower House after it becme clear that the group will win a seat.
Comelec’s First Division that included Guanzon voted 2-0 in a recent resolution that junked Cardema’s bid to represent the partylist organization. The election body said he is not qualified to represent the group for being overaged.
Cardema chided Guanzon for the decision, saying that the original Duterte Youth nominees who won the Comelec accredittion last January were older than him.
“Elizabeth Cardema is 48 yet her nomination as our representative was accepted by Comelec,” he pointed out.
Guanzon lamented that Cardema had to peddle lies to the public out of spite “because he lost his dream of having millions in pork barrel funds.”
The Comelec official disclosed that she and members of her family have been receiving death threats since the First Division turned down Cardema’s bid to represent Duterte Youth in Congress.