Comelec junks disqualification case vs Baby Asistio

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) First Division on Monday dismissed the disqualification case lodged against former Caloocan Representative Luis “Baby" Asistio by his political rival Caloocan City Mayor Enrico Echiverri. In a promulgation held Monday, the Comelec denied the petition of Echiverri to disqualify Asistio from running for in the May polls for "lack of merit." Asistio should be barred from seeking public office because he was convicted of kidnapping for ransom and even declared a false address on his certificate of candidacy (COC), Echiverri said in his petition. However, the poll body said that Asistio had already served his sentence and was even pardoned in 1984 by then-president Ferdinand Marcos. It said that the local government code only requires a prohibitive period of two years after serving the sentence for a crime involving moral turpitude. In addition, the Comelec said that it was not "persuaded" by the argument of Echiverri that Asistio is not a real resident of Caloocan. "It should be noted that respondent's family is known to be one of the prominent political families in Caloocan City," read the decision. Earlier, the same poll body division had likewise junked the disqualification case filed by Asistio against Echiveri. Asistio alleged that there were “discrepancies" in Echiveri’s certificate of candidacy, specifically in his oath and the numbering of his notarial documents. But the poll body said that it did not find the Caloocan mayor’s COC to be defective. Asistio served as Caloocan 2nd district representative from 1992 to 2001 and from 2004 to 2007. On the other hand, Echiveri served as Caloocan 1st district representative from 1998 to 2004 and Caloocan mayor from 2004 to present. The two will be up against each other in Caloocan's mayoralty race in May. - GMANews.TV