Syjuco a nuisance bet, SC agrees

Former Iloilo Rep. Augusto “Boboy”Syjuco FILE PHOTO

The Supreme Court has upheld the disqualification of former Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) chief and Iloilo Rep. Augusto Syjuco Jr. from the presidential race.

The high court en banc also affirmed on Tuesday the rejection of the applications for accreditation of five party-list groups, another batch that followed 17 groups who lost their plea before the tribunal on Jan. 26.

In Syjuco’s case, the court found that the Comelec “did not act with grave abuse of discretion” in declaring the controversial former Tesda chief a nuisance candidate for President.

In December, the Comelec had ruled that Syjuco had “no bona fide intention to run for president.”

The Comelec also held that Syjuco, who was previously accused of corruption as Tesda head, failed to show “financial capability, campaign plan or political machinery to sustain the financial rigors of waging a nationwide campaign.”

The high court also found that the Comelec did not gravely abuse its power in rejecting the registration of the following party-list groups: United Towards Organic Development Inc. (Utod), Bantam Laban sa Kriminalidad (Balak),  Ang Kaliwat Partylist, Koalisyon at Aksyon Nag-iimpok para sa Ekonomiya at Gabay ng mga Organisasyon ng Sambayanang May Yamang Oras [1-Kanegosyo], and Kapisanan ng mga Netizens sa Filipinas Inc.