Bacolod court dismisses appeal to exclude Albee Benitez from voter’s list

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines – A regional trial court here has junked an appeal to exclude the name of a mayoral aspirant, former Negros Occidental congressman Alfredo Benitez, as a registered voter in this city.

Benitez, who is challenging incumbent Mayor Evelio Leonardia in the May 2022 polls,  welcomed the decision during a Sunday, February 13 campaign sortie where he promised to provide informal settlers with in-city housing.

Bacolod Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 44 Judge Ana Celeste Bernad, in an 11-page decision issued on February 7, said the appeal lacked merit. She affirmed the earlier ruling of the Municipal Circuit Trial Court in Cities Branch 4 on October 1, 2021, which dismissed the petition filed by Hector Yula, Teodoro Abao and Jonah Tornea Abao, allegedly allies of Mayor Evelio Leonardia’s Grupo Progreso.

The petitioners questioned the voter’s residency of Benitez, a former resident of Victorias City, claiming he “lacks physical presence” in Barangay Mandalagan, that he “failed to show his genuine intention” to remain as resident of the village.

The Election Registration Board (ERB) and the municipal trial court ruled that Benitez met the minimum legal residency requirement to become a voter of Barangay Mandalagan in Bacolod City. 

“The court a quo did not err when it found that respondent-appellant Benitez has satisfactorily met the minimum residency requirement to become a voter of Barangay Mandalagan, Bacolod City,” the RTC division said. 

The ERB “correctly applied the pertinent provisions of the law governing the matter,” Judge Bernad added.

“We expected that,” Benitez said when a supporter asked how he felt about the court decision.

On-site housing

Benitez, a billionaire from the  gaming industry, where he owns casinos, horse racing and bingo businesses, on Sunday, February 13, offered city urban poor residents an “ on-site housing” program that would not disrupt their jobs and livelihood. 

“Where you live, that’s where we’ll put up the housing program,” he said on Sunday, February 13.

He also said there would be a “House for Work” alternative for those who can’t keep up with community mortgage payments.

Roadside supporters cheered when he described “sweat equity” in the local Ilonggo language and said this would release the urban poor from anxiety over potential demolition.

Benitez is a supporter of Ferdinand Marcos Jr. His father, Conrado “Jolly” Benitez, served as the human settlements deputy of former first lady, Imelda and his mother, Betty Bantug, managed some cultural and infrastructure programs of the dictatorship. – Rappler.com