FILE PHOTO: Manila City Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso. INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines — The permit for presidential candidate Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso’s scheduled motorcade in Caloocan City was revoked, leading his team to think if the move was politically motivated. But the city administrator said that was not the case.
In a letter sent to Moreno’s party Aksyon Demokratiko, Caloocan City Administrator Oliver Hernandez said the presidential bet’s application for a motorcade permit was denied.
According to the letter, “the identified routes in your letter involve major thoroughfares in Metro Manila which are under the jurisdiction of the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA).” It noted that organizers should first secure the permit from MMDA.
However, Moreno’s campaign manager Lito Banayo said their permit was already approved by the local government unit.
“Pinagbigyan kami, natanggap namin ‘yung approval ng permit na mag-motorcade sa Caloocan pero kahapon ng hapon ay binawi,” Banayo said in an ambush interview.
“Tumawag kami sa MMDA. Eh ‘yun pala nasabihan na nila ‘yung MMDA din, ng Caloocan, ng city of administrator na binawi na raw nila ‘yung permit dahil nagkaka-traffic daw. Eh sana naman ‘di na nila binigyan muna,” he added.
Banayo said they cannot help but think if the revocation was due to local politics.
“So siyempre hindi mo maaalis sa amin mag-isip na local politics ang maaaring dahilan dahil ang kandidato ng Aksyon ay si Congressman Egay Erice para mayor ng Caloocan, samantalang ang incumbent mayor, kaibigan kong si Oca Malapitan, ang anak niya tumatakbo,” Banayo said.
Hernandez, however, denied that the city government’s move was politically motivated, maintaining that Moreno’s camp was not allowed to hold the motorcade due to its failure to meet requirements and guidelines.
According to Hernandez, the MMDA called their attention saying that based on guidelines, motorcades in major thoroughfares under the jurisdiction of MMDA can only be held on weekends and holidays from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m.
The request of Moreno’s camp was for Tuesday, March 1.
“Huwag nating haluan ng pulitika. Nirerespeto natin ang karapatan ng bawat kandidato na magpakilala sa mga mamamayan subalit kailangan din nating ipatupad ang mga panuntunan upang hindi ma-sakripisyo ang karapatan at kapakanan din ng mga mamamayan ng Caloocan,” Hernandez said.
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