September 27, 2011

TODAY'S HEADLINES

Removal of senior citizens Party-list Rep.looms

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga— Coalition of Association of Senior Citizens Party-list Representative Godofredo V. Arquiza may lose his seat in Congress  as 15 criminal and administrative charges were filed against him before the Office of the Ombudsman and the Supreme Court, it was announced.

     Linda Gaddi-David, president of the Federation of Senior Citizen Associations of the Philippines (FSCAP) Region 3 Chapter, who is also president of FSCAP Pampanga Chapter, said four cases, including unexplained wealth, graft and corruption, illegal solicitation and perjury, were filed before the Office of Ombudsman all docketed as Case No. OMB-CC-11-0069-B.

     At the same time, David also disclosed that Francisco Datol, Jr. , president of the Allied Coalition of Association Senior Citizens, filed libel cases against Rep. Godofredo Arquiza before the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office docketed as I.S. XV-03-INV-11F-04485 and Batangas City Prosecutor’s Office, and  damages before the Gapan City, Nueva Ecija Regional Trial Court, Branch 87, Case No. 4004-11 .

     On the other hand, two disbarment cases were filed against Godofredo Arquiza on June 16, 2011 and on July 11, 2011 before the Supreme Court by Plutarco Vasquez based on the charges Arquiza filed before the Ombudsman and for deliberately disregarding of a Supreme Court Lokin case decision dated June 22, 2010, FSCAP Region 3 president said.

    Meanwhile, Jaime L. Cruz and Plutarco Velasquez have filed separate complaint before the Committee on Ethics of the Lower House on June 24, 2011 and June 27, 2011, respectively, regarding his “unjustifiable inclusion of his (Cruz) name in the privilege speech of Arquiza on May 30, 2011 and for calling complainant (Vasquez) extortionist and falsifier of documents.

     Records at the Manila Prosecutor’s Office also showed that Remedios D. Arquiza, who is a Nominee 4, of the Senior Citizen Party-list, also faced a perjury complaint for disregarding of precinct number stated in her certificate of acceptance filed before the COMELEC docketed as XV-07-INV-11D-03150.  It allegedly appeared that she is not a registered voter.

     All these cases stemmed from the power struggle of the party-list as a consequence from the petition for disqualification filed before the Commission on Elections against  Francisco Datol, Jr., Party-List  No. 3 nominee and   Party-list No. 5 Nominee, Linda Gaddi-David.

     The move of Arquiza is allegedly aim to insure that his wife, Remedios, will take over the Congressional seat to be vacated by incumbent Party-list Rep. David Kho by January, 2012 because of a covenant wherein Arquiza will seat the full 3-year term, while David Kho, a second nominee, will serve in one-half year, and third nominee, Francisco Datol, Jr. one and half year.