File disqualification cases vs all presidential bets, Duterte ally dares

An ally of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte in Congress challenged defeated senatorial bet Rizalito David on Monday to file disqualification cases against all presidential contenders to prove he is not any one’s attack dog.

Davao City Rep. Karlo Alexei Nograles issued the statement as he aired his suspicion that David may be used by “some powerful people” to derail the presidential bids of Duterte and Sen. Grace Poe.

“Nakakapagtataka lamang kung bakit panay ang pag file niya ng mga kaso sa mga nangunguna sa Presidential surveys. Para patas ang laban, mag file na rin siya ng disqualification cases sa lahat ng presidential candidates. Baka naman sabihin biased siya o di kaya ginagamit lamang siya ng ibang pulitiko,” he said.

Earlier in the day, David asked the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to declare Duterte's candidacy as PDP-Laban's substitute presidential bet as null and void.

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/548667/news/nation/rizalito-david-asks-comelec-to-cancel-duterte-s-coc-for-president

He has previously filed petitions to disqualify Poe as a presidential bet and unseat her as senator before the Comelec and the Senate Electoral Tribunal, respectively.

Nograles said he finds it curious that David would seek to disqualify Poe and Duterte, who have emerged as frontrunners in some voter preference surveys held in the past few months.

“I hope Mr. Rizalito David is not being used by some powerful people just to file cases against the frontrunners in the coming presidential elections. It just seems strange to so many of the electorate how this guy fits so snugly into this underhanded strategy called 'Last Man Standing',” he said.

The strategy's supposed objective is to eliminate the rivals of administration standard bearer Manuel “Mar” Roxas II for the presidency.

Aside from Poe, Duterte and Roxas, the other candidates vying to become the next president are Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago and OFW Family Club party-list Rep. Roy Señeres.

Nograles said he is also hopeful that David is not driven by anger in filing a disqualification case against Duterte after he has been declared a nuisance candidate by the Comelec.

Regardless of the broadcaster’s motivations, the lawmaker said the move to remove Duterte out of the presidential race only shows there are people who are feeling uneasy about the latter's chances of winning in the May 2016 elections.

“This only shows that some people are getting really nervous that Duterte might just actually win the presidency. And we expect other camps to throw all the tricks in the book. Sorry guys! You can't put a good man down,” Nograles said. — Xianne Arcangel, BP, GMA News