3 hours ago
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INCUMBENT Tuguegarao City Mayor Maila Ting-Que is in hot water for allegedly using the resources, em-ployees and machinery of the city government to promote her reelection bid.
A disqualification complaint, docketed as SPA 25-131, has been filed against Ting-Que by lawyer Ronal Bril-lantes who alleged that respondent violated elections laws that bar public officials from using government funds or assets for personal or political advantage.
Brillantes claimed that Ting-Que utilized several city government properties, including a mini-dump truck, pickup truck, L300 van, portable stage, and plastic chairs in campaign activities and rallies in nine barangay across the city.
Petitioner also claimed that government vehicles and employees were used to transport Ting-Que's cam-paign materials to and from the campaign rally venues.
On several occasions, particularly during her campaign activities and rallies, the above-mentioned properties were used by Respondents for her own personal gain and benefit and to promote her re-election," the petition said.
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If found guilty, Mayor Ting-Que could face disqualification from seeking or holding public office.
Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia on Thursday reiterated his earlier warning on the prohibition on the use of government resources for campaign purposes, citing the case of a disqualified former governor who used the printing press facility of the provincial government to print campaign materials for his benefit and the benefit of other members of his political party.
"Abuse of government resources is not limited to distribution of government funds. One might not be giving away cash or aids using government funds but using government facilities, that's a ground for a criminal case and disqualification," he said.
