MMDA chairman denies endorsing Pasig barangay poll bet

A photo of Eddie Gavino with his campaign poster showing him with Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chair Danny Lim. Contributed photo

Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Danilo Lim denied endorsing a candidate in Pasig City for the upcoming barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections.

In a statement on Monday, Lim said he was not endorsing Eddie Gavino, who is running as chairman of Barangay Sta. Lucia in Pasig for the local elections on May 14.

A campaign poster of Gavino showed him in a photo, with Lim raising his left hand and the MMDA logo as a backdrop.

Lim denied he personally knew Gavino, and he was also not informed about Gavino’s running for the barangay election.

The MMDA chairman clarified that his photo with Gavino was just “pakikisama” (camaraderie) he would extend to anyone who would visit his office, including ranking officials and even the commonfolk who ask for his help.

He said he was not endorsing any candidate.

“I am aware that it is illegal,” he said.

A joint circular of the Commision on Elections and the Civil Service Commission issued on March 29, 2016, prohibit government officials and personnel “to engage, directly or indirectly, in any electioneering or any partisan political campaign.”

“It is just disappointing that one innocent act of camaraderie are being used for politicking,” he said in Filipino.

Although he did not mention about filing a suit against Gavino, Lim said the issue would be “usapang abogado” (talks between lawyers) from there on. /atm