Disqualification case filed vs. re-electionist Santa Rosa mayor

A disqualification case has been filed against Mayor Arlene Arcillas of Sta. Rosa City in Laguna province with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for alleged illegal campaign activities. In a complaint filed Monday, Santa Rosa mayoralty candidate Alice Lazaga said Arcillas, who is seeking re-election, should be disqualified for violating Comelec Resolution 9561, which prohibits the possession of firearms and the employment of bodyguards during the elections. She said Arcillas violated this resolution on April 3 and April 8 when she campaigned in Santa Rosa with Barangay Chairman Rodrigo Malapitan and three members of the Philippine National Police and Armed Forces of the Philippines who reportedly had long and high-powered firearms. She also said that Arcillas used government vehicles during her campaign. "Sinasabi kasi ng ating batas bawal ang maraming mga military escort. Meron tayong mababasa dun kung ano lang ang dapat nating sundin, so sa bawat isang pagkakamali dapat file-an natin ng kaso para maging basehan ng disqualification ng isang kandidato.  Tayong lahat ay dapat sumunod kung ano ang sinasabi ng batas bilang isang maayos na mamamayan," Lazaga told reporters after filing the four-page petition. Along with Arcillas, Lazaga said Malapitan and the three AFP and PNP personnel — John Doe, Richard Doe, and Peter Doe in the complaint — should also be charged with election offenses. Comelec Resolution 9561-A states that it shall be illegal for "any person who, although possessing a permit to carry firearms, carries any firearms outside his residence or place of business during the election period, unless authorized in writing by the Commission." It also says that "during the election period, no candidate for public office, including incumbent public offices seeking election to any public office, shall employ, avail himself of or engage the services of security personnel or bodyguards, whether or not such bodyguards are regular members of the Philippine National Police, the Armed Forces of the Philippines or other law agency of the Government." Violation of this resolution shall be punished with imprisonment of not less than one year but not more than six years. The violator will also be disqualified from holding public office. GMA News Online was still trying to get a comment from Arcillas as of posting time. Arcillas is running under the Liberal Party, while Lazaga is running under the Partido ng Demokratikong Pilipino. — Kimberly Jane Tan/KBK, GMA News