SAN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA, Antique – Senator Loren Legarda is ready to respond to questions on her residency in Pandan, Antique, Vice Governor Edgar Denosta said Monday.
“We already heard earlier from the media that there would be an opposition to the application of the senator and so it is no longer a surprise for us,” said Denosta, who will be running under their LCD team during the May 2019 polls.
In an interview, he said LCD stands for Legarda, who will run for the lone congressional seat of Antique; C for Governor Rhodora Cadiao who will seek re-election; and D for Denosta who is also a re-electionist vice-governor.
Legarda’s residency is being questioned by lawyer Robin Robinos, who alleged that the senator is not qualified as resident of the town of Pandan.
Denosta said the LCD team remains to be intact despite the senator’s residency issue.
Lawyer Roberto A. Salazar, Provincial Election Supervisor III, confirmed in an interview on October 5 that the Commission on Elections (Comelec) Office in Pandan has received an opposition to Legarda’s application filed by Robinos, who is said to be running against her in Congress this coming May 2019 polls.
Salazar said as part of the process, the municipal Election Registration Board (ERB) will hear on October 25 whether to approve or disapprove the senator’s application.
“I don’t subscribe with the allegation of Robinos that the senator is not a resident of Mag-aba, Pandan just for the reason that she is always away,” Denosta said.
He said the senator, being often in Manila, is just because of her work as a legislator and so it should not be cited against her residency.
“I know also of several elected politicians who have residences in Manila because they need to have some place to stay there,” the vice governor said.
Legarda filed her application to transfer from Precinct 0628 in Malabon City to Precinct Number 0055-B in Mag-aba, Pandan last September 28, a day before the deadline set by the Comelec.
Legarda is said to be the granddaughter of Antique’s former governor Vicente Gella. (Annabel Consuelo Petinglay/PNA)
