Gov. Roel Degamo is filing a petition to declare a certain Walter Rosario Gasendo as a nuisance candidate for using the word “Magdegamo” as his name in the official ballot.
Gasendo, 41, a resident of Lopezville, Barangay Banga, Bayawan City, was the last to file his Certificate of Candidacy for governor on Oct. 16 at the provincial office of the Commission on Elections.
The man, who submitted his COC and other documents just before deadline at 5 p.m. on that day, was accompanied by one other person.
Gasendo has not submitted a political lineup for the coming 2016 elections and has filed as an independent.
He filled out his form with the word Magdegamo in the boxes for nickname and name to appear in the official ballot.
Upon learning of the third candidate contesting the gubernatorial race, Governor Degamo announced early this week that he strongly believes Gasendo’s entry into the political arena is the work of his detractors.
Aside from Degamo and Gasendo, another candidate contesting the position for governor in next year’s polls is incumbent Rep. George Arnaiz of the 2nd district of Negros Oriental.
Degamo further describes Gasendo’s filing of COC as trying to mislead the public into casting their ballots under the name Magdegamo, pointing out the man’s real name and family name is far from being a Degamo.
Although unfazed, the governor explained Mag Degamo is a program of his administration and that the person concerned would want to take advantage of it.
Meanwhile, Provincial Election Supervisor Eddie Aba explained that a nuisance candidate is one that has no real purpose of running for the elective position he is applying for.
A nuisance candidate is one who filed his COC for the purpose of putting the electoral process into a mockery; one without resources and cannot afford to launch a province-wide campaign, and has no bonafide intention to run for that office.
However, Atty Aba said that only the COMELEC Central Office in Manila can declare a particular candidate a nuisance following the due process of law after a petition is filed by the aggrieved party. (PNA JFP/with Juancho Gallarde)
