MANILA, Philippines –The Genuine Opposition’s Alan Peter Cayetano can heave a sigh of relief with the Commission on Elections finally disqualifying Joselito Pepito Cayetano from the senatorial race.In a six-page resolution issued last night, the Comelec en banc said Joselito Cayetano of the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan had mocked the election process by adopting the nickname “Peter†for his candidacy.The Comelec en banc upheld the decision of its first division declaring Joselito Cayetano a nuisance candidate and effectively cancelled his certificate of candidacy.It also ordered his name stricken off the official list of senatorial candidates.By adopting the nickname “by which [he] is not actually known and considering that his true family name and that of petitioner is ‘Cayetano,’ there is a clear attempt on [Joselito’s] part to put the election process in mockery or disrepute or to cause confusion among voters,†the poll body said.“We find no sufficient reason to disturb the meticulous finding of facts by the [first division],†it said.Alan Peter Cayetano’s lawyer, Leila de Lima, said that while “we’re happy†about the Comelec resolution, it came “too close to Election Day.â€Â“There might not be sufficient time for dissemination of the resolution. The Comelec should find ways and means to disseminate it to the Board of Election Inspectors,†De Lima said in a phone interview.The lawyer said her advice to her client was for his camp to still “teach the people to write ‘Alan Cayetano’†on their ballots to ensure that their votes would be credited to the GO candidate.The Comelec en banc resolution was silent on whether all “Peter,†“Peter Cayetano,†and “Cayetano†votes would be credited to Alan Peter Cayetano.“That was in our [petition] ... I wish that in their resolution, [the commissioners] made that clarification for the guidance of the Board of Election Inspectors in the appreciation of ballots,†De Lima said.‘Jojo,’ not “Peter’Alan Peter Cayetano, representative of Taguig-Pateros, had been seeking his namesake’s disqualification for being a nuisance candidate, and had told the Comelec in a petition that the latter was known as “Jojo,†and not “Peter,†in his community in Davao City.He had claimed that Joselito Cayetano’s candidacy was part of Malacañang’s machinations to derail his own candidacy.The congressman had earlier accused President Macapagal-Arroyo’s husband and members of the First Family of owning secret accounts in a German bank.The Comelec en banc also ruled with finality that Alan Peter Cayetano is a Filipino citizen.The ruling was in response to two separate disqualification cases filed against him by former Pateros Mayor Jose Capco and broadcast journalist Percival Mabasa questioning his citizenship.
