Court deals Salud another knockdown

Judge upholds ERB ruling rejecting boxing promoter’s petition to register in Cordova

THE court struck down the second attempt of boxing promoter Rex “Wakee” Salud to register as a voter of Barangay Cogon, Cordova, Cebu.

Municipal Circuit Trial Court Judge Jocelyn Uy-Po denied for lack of merit Salud’s petition, saying she found no error in the ruling of the Election Registration Board (ERB) in Cordova, which denied Wakee’s bid to include his name in the voters list in Barangay Cogon.

Po, in a decision dated Feb. 14, said Salud’s petition was similar to the one he filed before her sala.

In her ruling, Po upheld the decision of the ERB after she made an ocular inspection on the petitioner’s supposed residence in Barangay Cogon.

“At that time, the court had seen and personally observed and concluded by the condition and situation seen on the so-called abode of petitioner, that he was never a resident of Cogon, Cordova,” said Po in her ruling.

Salud filed a petition in court seeking for his inclusion in the voters’ list of Barangay Cogon. Salud’s original address is Barangay Punta Princesa, Cebu City.

In his second application for transfer of registration record, the boxing promoter said he has lived in Barangay Cogon, Cordova for one year and 11 months, as of Oct. 31, 2012.

Salud said he transferred to Cogon in June 2011, in compliance with Republic Act 8189, or the Voter’s Registration Act of 1996.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) had also disqualified Salud as a voter of Cordova, Cebu.

The Comelec Second Division, in its resolution, granted Mayor Adelino Sitoy’s petition to cancel Salud’s certificate of candidacy (COC).

“Respondent is not and cannot be a registered voter of Barangay Cogon, Cordova. Neither can he be eligible to run for the position he seeks to be voted for in the May 13, 2013 elections,” read the Comelec’s resolution.

Judge Po also agreed with the decision of the ERB since she was not convinced that Salud is a resident of Baran- gay Cogon.

Despite the legal setback, Salud filed his COC for mayor on Oct. 4.

Salud said that although he is new to Cordova, his “intention to reside (there) has been manifested by renting a house and lot in Barangay Cogon.

However, the ERB in Cordova struck down Salud’s attempt to transfer his voter’s registration in the municipality.

In her ruling, Judge Po said Salud is probably testing her memory.

“So far, the presiding judge is still in control of her mental faculties and clearly remember what undersigned have seen during the ocular inspection,” the judge said.

Po said she could still clearly remember the “tight room, with moldy ceiling, small bed which does not even have a mattress and was too weak” to hold Salud’s weight.