Comelec says Chiongbian is true Sarangan

QUESTIONS on the issue of residency of businessman Roy Chiongbian by the latter’s opponent political party in Sarangani Province will finally be stopped after the Commission on Elections (Comelec) indirectly claimed that Chiongbian is a true Sarangan by rejecting the disqualification case filed by the People’s Champ Movement, Manny Pacquiao’s political party.

The decision of the Comelec is now drawing reasons for people to think and question the boxing champ’s residency, he being a resident of General Santos City for several years. It is also known to many that he ran for Congress in the province of South Cotabato in the 2007 polls.

Ely Galang, a resident of Barangay Labangal in General Santos, expressed her opinion regarding the filing of case by Pacquiao’s group and the decision of the Comelec.

"Dapat lang nga ibasura ang kaso, dapat gani si Pacquiao ang kasuhan sa mga Chiongbian, kwestiyunon ang iyang residency kay sauna dinhi sa South Cotabato man siya nagdagan pero napildi unya karon, gabalhin siya sa Sarangani, asa ba gyud siya," she said.

Barangay Labangal is where Pacquiao spent his childhood years and where he was first discovered to have a talent in boxing.

On February 10, the Comelec, through its six-page Resolution stated that “the petition for disqualification filed by petitioner People’s Champ Party against Roy Chiongbian is hereby denied for lack of merit.”

The Resolution was signed by Commissioners Armando C. Velasco, Gregorio Y. Larrazabal, and Presiding Commissioner Rene V. Sarmiento.

In an interview, Chiongbian said he is confident from the very start that he will win the case. "Sinabi ko na sa inyo noon, as expected mananalo tayo because we have a very weak case atsaka tingin nga ng mga lawyers namin it's a nuisance case. Sabi ko nga, ang parents ko ang nagserve dito, sila ang nagtukod ng probinsiya natin, tapos how can I not be a resident here," Chiongbian said.

Chiongbian, who has not thrown any offensive words against PCM party, said his purpose of running in Congress in Sarangani is to continue the legacy of his parents."I never stopped going around (the province). Ang sabi nga namin, andito kami para maka-serve, yun lang naman ang purpose namin, so hopefully with this, wala ng hindrance," he said.

On the other hand, Chiongbian's nephew, Steve Solon, the incumbent Vice Governor of Sarangani, said they were very happy regarding the decision of the Comelec."Alam niyo, sukad-sukad, parati silang nag-aatake sa partido namin, kami wala kaming ginagawa, so kami happy kami na nabasura ang disqualification case kay Roy Chiongbian. Siguro nahibaw-an pud sa mga tao nga si Roy gikan g'yud sa Sarangani," Solon asserted.

Solon further said that the filing of disqualification case by the PCM camp against Chiongbian can have a negative impact to the (PCM) party."Negative pa para sa kadtong nag-file (og kaso) kasi hindi harap-harapan ang pag-opensa nila. Ang sa amoa lang, straight campaign lang mi kay kung naa na pud sila'y i-isyu sa amoa, bahala na ang mga abogado, serbisyo lang ang sa amoa."

Delia Patlingrao, kagawad in Barangay Bales, in the municipality of Maasim, said she knows that the case filed against Chiongbian will be junked."Bisan pa man sa sugod, nagtuo ko nga mabasura sa Comelec ang kaso kay sa akong nahibal-an, kumpleto man ang ebidensiya ni Chiongbian nga nagpamatuod nga siya taga-Kiamba g'yud," Patlingrao said.

"Nalipay ko kay gibasura sa Comelec ang kaso. Naluoy ko kay Roy Chiongbian kay siya man ang biktima ani nga isyu, gilabayan siya og dili mao nga isyu pero makit-an g'yud nato nga maayo siya nga tawo kay wala g'yud siya mipagawas og pulong nga makadaut sa pikas," Virgie Zapra, resident of Barangay Bales in Maasim, shared.