Cardema claims Comelec’s Guanzon harassed, asked favors from him for Duterte Youth approval

Former National Youth Commissioner Ronald Cardema on Saturday claimed Comelec Commissioner Rowena Guanzon “harassed” and asked favors from him in exchange for the approval of the Duterte Youth party-list.

Cardema held a press conference in Quezon City where he showed exchanges between him and an emissary of Comelec chairman Guanzon, asking him for the appointment of several government officials, including a judge.

He appealed to President Rodrigo Duterte and the Supreme Court to look into the alleged harassment by Guanzon's camp.

“Tulungan niyo naman kami sa panggigipit ng isang taga-gobyerno, na ginagamit ang kaniyang opisina, ang kaniyang kapangyarihan, para manggipit ng kapwa Pilipino na nagtatanggol sa ating bansa,” he said.

Guanzon took to Twitter to deny Cardema's accusation, saying he probably only finding ways to make herself inhibit from the case Cardema is facing before the Comelec.

"Cardema held a presscon accusing me of demanding a favor in exchange for registration of his PL [party-list]. wey???!    Didn't I vote yes to the registration of his PL? how come no Judge related to me was appointed?" she tweeted. 

Cardema held a presscon accusing me of demanding a favor in exchange for registration of his PL. wey???! Didn't I vote yes to the registration of his PL? how come no Judge related to me was appointed?

— Rowena V. Guanzon (@commrguanzon) August 17, 2019

Read that slide. it does not state my name. he wants to inhibit me. I WILL NOT. https://t.co/BAo50SIqtJ

— Rowena V. Guanzon (@commrguanzon) August 17, 2019

Guanzon said Cardema's accusation was self-serving."Wey no way I will inhibit," she added in her tweet.

Alleged favors

Cardema claimed the supposed emissary asked that he lobby someone to become a director of the Department of Public Works and Highways, and an attorney to be appointed as regional trial court judge in Iloilo.

One message from the supposed emissary read: "ron i will tell com to sign duterte youth today but please make sure you keep your end of the bargain. make the biggest effort for this. and dont forget my degree."

Another one read: "yung pagiging Lt Col ko asikasuhin mo na."

In all the exchanges, Cardema could be seen agreeing to the request and vowing to "lobby" for the individuals mentioned.

Prior to this, Cardema noted that it was his advocacy to invite congressmen to enter the Armed Forces and the reserved service, adding that he was their go-to-person regarding their applications.

Former NYC chair Ronald Cardema, nagpakita ng mga mensahe ng paghingi sa kaniya ng pabor ng Comelec kapalit ng accreditation ng Duterte Youth party-list. @gmanews pic.twitter.com/SAH7hMc1PG

— Jamil Santos (@Jamil_Santos02) August 17, 2019

"Ang nag-iisa ko lang kasalanan, nahirapan ako na ibigay 'yung mga gusto nila," Cardema said.

Cardema, however, did not name the emissary who was a member of Congress.

In the same conference, Cardema also denied allegations by Guanzon against him that he was behind the threats she had received.

At one point, Cardema turned emotional as he revealed his pregnant wife and father were hospitalized due to the supposed harassment received by his family.

Cardema, emosyonal na inilahad na na-ospital ang asawa at ama niya dahil sa “paghawak sa kanila sa leeg” umano ng emissary ng Comelec. @gmanews pic.twitter.com/UWNfJzdCEO

— Jamil Santos (@Jamil_Santos02) August 17, 2019

"Hawak-hawak kami sa leeg. Walang tigil na pinalabas kami 'yung masama, kami 'yung nangha-harass sa pamilya niya," he said.

"Kahit lumuhod na, kahit magpakamatay na ako sa harap niya, 'Ma'am maawa naman kayo buntis 'yung asawa ko, stressed na stressed na pamilya ko gabi-gabi,' wala silang pakialam," he added.

Regarding the age limit issue, Cardema said their first set of nominees which had ages of above 40 had no issue with the Comelec Commissioner. But when he filed his substitution bid to advocate for the young professionals, the election body had problems.

He said the Comelec only had two requirements to release Duterte Youth's certificate of nomination: 1) the Comelec en banc proclaiming Duterte Youth party-list as winner 2) the En banc order of their nominees. 

The Comelec First Division earlier canceled Cardema's nomination as representative of the Duterte Youth party-list due to misrepresentation.

The decision stemmed from two petitions lodged by several youth groups, both of which argued that Cardema—who was 34 years old—sought to break the law by declaring in his Certificate of Acceptance and Nomination that he was eligible for nomination even if the age qualification provided for a representative of the youth sector under the Party-List law was limited to 25 to 30 years old.

The poll body said Cardema’s move was punishable under Comelec Resolution 9366, which ruled that material misrepresentation committed in the qualification of a nominee was grounds for the cancellation of the nomination. — MDM, GMA News