MANILA, Philippines — While she won’t file a libel case yet against the aspiring politician, Commission on Elections Commissioner Rowena Guanzon is making sure the allegations against her by disqualified Duterte Youth party-list nominee Ronald Cardema won’t go unchecked.
Cardema, who was disqualified by Comelec as representative of Duterte Youth party-list for being overage, stirred a hornets’ nest when he accused Guanzon of extortion and of soliciting political favors in exchange for his group’s accreditation.
READ: Cardema denies threatening Comelec’s Guanzon, accuses poll official of 'playing victim'
The outspoken Guanzon has since taken to social media to retaliate against Cardema’s claims, quickly escalating the tension by sharing memes on Twitter and reposting statements from groups and officials that support her.
“Cardema said I demanded 2 million from him. I don’t think he even has P500K in his bank account. Aber, show us, you (overage), trying hard name dropper,” the feisty poll official said in a tweet.
before it was death threats, now extortion. Ano sunod, impeachment? All intimidation tactics to coerce me to reverse my vote. Again, friendly advise, study your case and get a good lawyer. But u can't change your date of birth.
— Rowena V. Guanzon (@commrguanzon) August 17, 2019
why will I extort money from him or anyone? I don't need it. I am richer than Cardema for sure. https://t.co/pdGcciXQYa
— Rowena V. Guanzon (@commrguanzon) August 18, 2019
Cardema made all that hype accusing me of extortion to attract the attention of the President. At the end of his press con he cried to PPRD for help.
— Rowena V. Guanzon (@commrguanzon) August 19, 2019
only to be told off by Spokesperson Sal Panelo like a fly. pic.twitter.com/t8PqcrDWcb
‘Lason sa daga’ and ‘goat’ army
Cardema made the allegations against Guanzon as he faces a disqualification case that could dash his dream of becoming a congressman and represent the Duterte Youth party-list, which won congressional seats during the midterm polls.
Cardema was 34 when he belatedly sought to replace his wife as the nominee of a sector wherein an age limit is specified by law: between 25 to 30 years.
cardema and their numbers 2 , 3, 4 are overaged, not youth. their 5th is 29 but not member of Party list at least 90 days so DQ also.
— Rowena V. Guanzon (@commrguanzon) August 17, 2019
Earlier this month, Comelec’s First Division canceled Cardema’s nomination as a representative of the Duterte Youth party-list.
READ: Comelec cancels Cardema nomination for Duterte Youth party-list
Guanzon recently reported receiving death threats apparently from Duterte Youth after Comelec decided on Cardema’s case. But Cardema — who has appealed his disqualification — denied that his group threatened Guanzon, and accused the poll official of “playing victim.”
After Cardema held a press conference and made the accusations, Guanzon immediately countered the aspiring congressman’s statements by tweeting a picture of rat poison with a caption: “I will not inhibit from the cases of Cardema. Period.”
Guanzon said Cardema was trying to provoke her, and then seek her recusal from his disqualification case.
I will not inhibit from the cases of Cardema . period. pic.twitter.com/sUVysFEWx8
— Rowena V. Guanzon (@commrguanzon) August 17, 2019
The poll official also tweeted a picture of goats, saying in jest that her “private army” is ready for battle.
READ: Comelec’s Guanzon denies extortion allegation, won’t inhibit from Duterte Youth’s Cardema case
Here is my private army. cheap to maintain because they only eat grass. pic.twitter.com/IllaBUpbPU
— Rowena V. Guanzon (@commrguanzon) August 18, 2019
Why not just file a case?
Guanzon’s Twitter roasts were loved by social media users, with each tweet garnering thousands of likes and hundreds of retweets.
When one Twitter user suggested that she sue Cardema instead of resorting to “public denunciation of his (Cardema) threats,” Guanzon replied: “I won't. If I do that I have to inhibit in his cases.”
In a recent interview with DZBB radio, Guanzon said she plans to file charges against Cardema before a Negros Occidental court “a year from now.”
“I won’t sue him now because he has a pending case. I will file charges a year from now, before the expiration of the prescriptive period,” she said in Filipino.