PARI-AN barangay Chairman Jeremias Nuñez protested the transfer of voter’s registration of one of Cebu’s dance icons, Valentino Luisito ‘Val’ San Diego from Carcar City to his barangay.
In a letter to Comelec Cebu City north district Election Officer Marchel Sarno, he said San Diego’s new address is in barangay Tinago and not Pari-an.
San Diego was one of the thousands of voters who lined-up during the 10-day special registration for the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections this October 28. He registered their famous Yap-San Diego ancestral house as his new residence located in 155 Mabini Street.
Nuñez however argued that Mabini Street is no longer within the territorial jurisdiction of barangay Pari-an. He attached a map of the barangay from the Cebu City Planning and Development Office, showing that Mabini Street is already outside Pari-an’s boundary.
“On this ground, the applicant should be denied since it would be clearly absurd to allow a person to register to an address which belongs to another barangay,” Nuñez wrote in his letter complaint.
In a phone interview, Nuñez said he found out that Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama will be endorsing San Diego to run as barangay captain of Pari-an this October.
But he added he has no problems with San Diego’s election plans.
“Okay ra man, democracy baya ta. Ang ako lang, ang iyang address part man gyud na sa Tinago nga barangay, mao nga ako lang sab gibuhatan ug legal action [“It’s okay with me. This is a democratic country. My only concern is that his address is a part of Brgy. Tinago which is why I also acted upon it legally]” Nuñez told Cebu Daily News.
San Diego confirmed his plans to run for barangay captain of Parian. Last 2007, he ran for mayor of Carcar City but lost to Mario Patricio Barcenas.
“I really told myself that after running in Carcar, it would already be my last, but people kept telling me that ‘Val I think you’re the proper person to do this’… Well I think if it’s providential then so be it. I could not say no. My conscience would kill me,” San Diego told CDN.
He said Nuñez should not be threatened by his electoral plans if he really cares about the development of Pari-an, which he describes as sluggish lately.