Mayoralty rival questions Singson’s residency
Former Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis “Chavit” Singson’s mayoralty bid in Narvacan town is being questioned because of his alleged failure to comply with the one-year residency rule.
His rival, Edgardo Zaragoza, has filed a petition with the Commission on Elections to cancel the certificate of candidacy of Singson, an incumbent councilor in Narvacan.
“Actual residence signifies personal residence, [that is] physical presence and actual stay thereat. This physical presence must be with continuity and consistency and the purpose to remain therein must be for an indefinite period of time. Respondent failed to comply with these requirements,” Zaragoza said in his 15-page petition.
He cited the testimonies of residents and neighbors who claimed that they have never seen Singson stay or sleep in his supposed Narvacan property.
Under the Local Government Code, an elective local official must a resident for at least one year immediately preceding the day of the elections. —Tina G. Santos
DND, Korean firm sign deal to comanufacture helmets, vests
The Department of National Defense (DND) has signed a deal with a South Korean company that would soon enable the Philippines to manufacture protective vests and helmets.
Daniel Casabar Jr., director of the Philippine Government Arsenal, and Kim Jong-il, president of Samyang Comtech Co. Ltd., finalized on Tuesday the implementing arrangements for the force protection equipment coproduction agreement.
According to defense spokesperson Arsenio Andolong, the contract signing is part of the memorandum of understanding on logistics and defense cooperation between the governments of the Philippines and Republic of Korea.
The government arsenal is an agency of the DND responsible for the production of basic weapons and ammunition for the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police.
Seoul-based Samyang manufactures ground equipment, personal protection gear, aviation parts and other defense materials. —Jeannette I. Andrade