Wakee ignores court, runs for Cordova mayor

Boxing promoter Rex “Wakee” Salud braved the court’s contempt and filed his Certificate of Candidacy (COC) for Cordova town mayor yesterday.

Accompanied by hundreds of flaglet-waving supporters, Salud walked to the office of the Commission on Election (Comelec) to submit his COC past 9 a.m.

Arvin Maghanoy, Cordova election registrar, received the document.

Chief Insp. Alvin Balio, Cordova police chief estimated the crowd of supporters at 3,000.

Salud’s group first attended Mass at a church near the Municipal Hall and Comelec office.

Last Tuesday, the Mandaue Regional Trial Court dismissed his appeal and affirmed a lower court ruling that Salud, who leased a house in barangay Cogon in April this year, failed to prove he was a bonafide resident of Cordova town, which is a requirement for a candidate seeking public office there.

“At first, I had no plan of running for mayor,” Salud told reporters after filing his COC.

“I decided to register as a voter in Cordova because Manny Pacquaio told me to do so because he plans to invest in the town. My application to register was accepted, but after three days, there was a petition not to accept my registration,” Salud said in Cebuano.

He said Mayor Adelino Sitoy actually egged him to run by challenging his application to transfer voter’s registration to Cordova.

“That is why I was challenged. Pacquaio alo told me: ‘go for the mayorship.’ Add to that pleas of residents who want change and progress,” he added.

Appeal

Salud’s lawyer Magnificos Cañete said they will file a motion for reconsideration with the RTC.

“Maybe the judge overlooked the weight of our evidence,” Cañete said.

They also intend to ask RTC Judge Raphael Yrastorza to inhibit and let another judge review the decision.

Mayor Sitoy, a former law school dean, said he would file contempt and perjury charges against the boxing promoter and seek the cancellation of his COC.

Comelec officer Maghanoy said he received Salud’s COC bcause this is a ministerial function.

Salud’s vice mayor candidate is Dr. Rowena Tongco. Hi s slate includes seven councilor candidates.