Bacolod mayoralty candidate Julius Sayson and his counsel failed to show up yesterday at the preliminary hearing of the petition that he be declared a nuisance candidate filed against him by Vice Mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson before the Commission on Elections in Manila.

Only Sayson, mayoralty candidate of the Nationalist People’s Coalition Grupo Progreso, attended the hearing at the First Division of the COMELEC in Intramuros, Manila together with his lead counsel Crystal Vega and Vicente Petierre lll, Councilors Dindo Ramos and Caesar Distrito, as collaborating counsel.

Councilor Al Victor Espino was also present at the preliminary hearing yesterday.

Neither Julius Sayson nor his legal counsel showed up, despite receipt of the notice of the hearing and a directive for them to file an answer within five days from receipt of the notice regarding the petition filed by the Vice Mayor.

Vega manifested before the Clerk of the Commission, Josefina dela Cruz, that COMELEC Bacolod was able to acquire jurisdiction over Julius.

Vega said they have with them Bacolod Election Officer Mavil Majarucon-Sia who attested to the fact that they have served the summons and notices to Julius Sayson.

She said they have also received a withdrawal statement from Julius and asked that he be declared a nuisance candidate. They will submit their position papers to the COMELEC within ten days from yesterday," she added.

"We also pray for a prompt decision because it is important that a decision will be rendered by the COMELEC before the campaign period,” she said.

Vega said the fact that Julius has filed his certificate of withdrawal shows that he has no intention to run for the post.

Since Julius waived his right, judgment will be rendered based on the position paper and all the attached documents they have submitted she also said.

Petierre appeared yesterday to attest that the affidavits executed by the father, uncles and aunts of Julius Sayson were subscribed to and sworn before him.

Distrito said they attended the hearing to give support to their mayoralty candidate Vice Mayor Sayson because it clearly shows that Julius Sayson was just motivated by some persons to run in order to ruin his candidacy.

He said they believe COMELEC will declare Julius a nuisance candidate since he is not qualified to run.

Ramos said the absence of Julius Sayson at the hearing manifested that he has no intention to run. He should be perpetually disqualified from holding public office as he only made a mockery of the electoral process, he said.

Espino said he also attended the hearing to show his support to Vice Mayor Sayson. This is proof that the candidacy of Julius Sayson is malicious and a crooked scheme of politicking, he said.

Vice Mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson said he is confident that he will get a favorable decision from the COMELEC on the petition he filed to declare his relative Julius Sayson a nuisance candidate.

He said the absence of Julius Sayson at the preliminary hearing clearly shows that he is withdrawing from the race.

Vice Mayor Sayson also said he believes that
he can get the declaration from COMELEC to exclude Julius Sayson from the list of candidates and in the final ballots.

The Vice Mayor appealed to Bacolod residents to reject this kind of political schemes, and for politicians to be fair in their dealings and not cheat their opponent in order to win.

Sayson said he is standing on a platform of good governance and will work for the continuation of their gains.

He said that it cannot be negated that under the leadership of Mayor Evelio Leonardia, Bacolod has improved economically and that the recent MassKara Festival was one of the best held in the city.

“We have reached that far in the field of tourism. Our balikbayans have seen how Bacolod has improved in the past years, so let us improve on these gain,” Vice Mayor Sayson said.

If Julius’ name is removed from the list of candidates, Vice Mayor Sayson will be running only against MKK mayoralty candidate Monico. Puentevella.*CGS

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