Rolan “Kerwin” Espinosa—ROEL T.AMAZONA | Richard Gomez —Richard Gomez Fb.
TACLOBAN CITY—A petition for disqualification was filed in opposition to Albuera mayoral candidate Rolan “Kerwin” Espinosa for allegedly difficult Leyte Rep. Richard Gomez to a gunfight, an act thought-about as a risk and type of intimidation.
Ormoc Metropolis Mayor Lucy Torres-Gomez, Gomez’s spouse, filed an 11-page petition earlier than the Fee on Elections (Comelec) on Might 6, looking for to cancel Espinosa’s candidacy.
In line with Lucy, the incident constitutes a violation of Part 68 (e) in relation to Part 261 (e) of the Omnibus Election Code, which prohibits acts of violence or threats in opposition to opponents through the election interval.
READ: Kerwin Espinosa faces DQ case for difficult Gomez to a gunfight
Espinosa, in an announcement he posted on social media on Wednesday night time, mentioned he was prepared to reply to the disqualification case filed by Lucy.
“I’m not afraid of the disqualification case you filed in opposition to me. I’ll reply that,” he mentioned.
“I’ve my youthful sister who will succeed me. I’ve deliberate this all alongside,” added Espinosa whose sister, Mariel, is operating for vice mayor of their native Albuera.
Their father, Rolando Sr., as soon as served as mayor and was slain in a reported shootout whereas in detention for drug fees within the Leyte subprovincial jail in Baybay Metropolis in 2016.
The petition for Espinosa’s disqualification stemmed from a Fb Stay video posted by Espinosa on April 30.
Within the 40-minute broadcast, which was seen reside by over 900 individuals and garnered greater than 70,000 views, Espinosa challenged Gomez—an actor popularly referred to as Goma and who’s operating for reelection as consultant of Leyte’s fourth congressional district—to an armed duel.
Espinosa, who as soon as confessed to being a drug lord, steered that policemen and troopers function referees and inspired Gomez to deliver his “strongest” firearms.
He additionally proposed that each events signal a waiver making certain no authorized motion could be taken in opposition to whoever survives the duel.
‘Mockery’
Lucy, in her petition, described Espinosa’s statements as “not solely felony but in addition a mockery of the elections,” claiming they have been supposed to claim political dominance via violence relatively than authentic campaigning.
“Coming from a self-confessed killer, these will not be mere insults. These are critical and harmful threats meant to terrorize, instill concern among the many voters, and intimidate them from voting,” she mentioned.
The battle between Espinosa and the Gomez couple got here after the confessed drug lord was shot and wounded throughout a marketing campaign sortie in Albuera on April 10.
Espinosa raised the chance that the assault was linked to politics, mentioning that one in all his rivals within the mayoral race is Leyte Board Member Vincent Rama, husband of Caren Torres, older sister of Lucy.
READ: Leyte mayoral guess Kerwin Espinosa recordsdata raps vs 7 Ormoc cops
A minimum of seven law enforcement officials from Ormoc Metropolis have been arrested and charged in relation to the capturing of Espinosa.
In line with Espinosa, the policemen from Ormoc Metropolis have been arrested by the Albuera police inside the home of a Division of Public Works and Highways official whom he described as a detailed ally of Gomez.
Gomez, nevertheless, dismissed Espinosa’s claims and urged the general public to not consider the allegations made by Espinosa who, he reiterated, was a “confessed drug lord.”
“Don’t consider someone like him who has no credibility and is a self-confessed drug lord,” Gomez mentioned. “He is not going to do something good for mankind.”
Espinosa, 47, is operating for mayor of Albuera underneath the “Bando Espinosa, Pundok Kausaban” (Group Espinosa, Reform Group).
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His opponents embody Rama and reelectionist Albuera Mayor Sixto de la Victoria.
