Councilor Villasin eyes political harassment
TACLOBAN CITY- A councilor of this city is facing perjury complaint filed by her political opponents claiming she is not qualified to run as board member for Leyte’s second district.
But Raissa Villasin, serving on her second term as a member of Tacloban’s Sangguniang Panlungsod, dismissed the perjury complaint as nothing but political harassment.
On their complaint, Nestor Abrematea, Benjamin Villegas, and Florante Ygana alleged that Villasin committed perjury when she declared that since September 11, 2018, she has been residing in Barangay Cuta, Barugo town or for two years now while on her certificate of candidacy she has been living in the said village for two years and seven months.
The complainants, who filed their complaint Tuesday(March 12) before the City Prosecutor’s Office and at the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office based in Carigara town, secured a certification from Tacloban City elections officer Ma. Goritti Caña stating that Villasin still casted her vote in the May 14, 2018 election in Tacloban City.
Tacloban City is a highly urbanized city whose residents are not qualified to vote or be voted upon for any provincial elective posts.
The three claimed that Villasin is guilty of perjury under Article 183 of the Revised Penal Code or a willful and corrupt assertion of falsehood under oath or affirmation administered by authority of law on a material matter.
Barugo municipal treasurer Dinah Avorque issued a certification that Villasin only secured a residence certificate on September 11, 2018 and municipal assessor Engr. Palcomar Canonce also issued a certification that the she has no real property in her name in their municipality.
Reached for her comment, Councilor Villasin dismissed the complaint filed against her saying it’s politically-motivated,citing the complainants were running for the same positions she is seeking for the May 13 elections.
She, however, said that she will answer the complaint once she formally receive of its copy. Still, she maintains that she did not commit any perjury.
Villasin added that she continue to function as a member of Tacloban city council as her term is set to expire yet on June 30,2019.
“Our family is taking this personally and there is no other reason but politics,” Villasin said, adding that she is confident that the complaint would be dismissed as it has not legal basis.
(RESTITUTO A. CAYUBIT, LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
