Leyte judge rules vs Romualdez bet

TACLOBAN CITY — The Municipal Trial Court (MTC) of Burauen, Leyte has ordered the cancellation from the list of registered voters the name of Carlos "Caloy" Romualdez, the eldest son of reelectionist Tacloban City Mayor Alfredo "Bejo" Romualdez, who is running for congressman in Leyte’s second district.

However, the 43-year-old Romualdez branded as "invalid and illegal" the ruling of the Burauen municipal court, as he vowed to contest the decision before the town’s regional trial court.

On Monday afternoon, MTC Burauen Judge-designate Camilo Esmero declared that Romualdez, his wife Erlinda Reyes, children Miguel and Mark, and househelp Decebura Torrenueva should not be included in the list of voters of Precinct No. 11-A, District 3, of Burauen, Leyte.

"The court finds that respondents are not bonafide residents of Burauen, Leyte, hence they do not qualify to register as voters of Burauen, Leyte and their registration is illegal and not in accordance or violates the election laws on residence," Judge-designate Esmero said in his seven-page resolution.

The order, however, is not yet final and executory and is appealable.

The court ruled that the "original" residence of Carlos Romualdez and his family was not lost by reason of his residing in Burauen, Leyte to establish a business "which has not been established."

Romualdez filed on May 8, 2000 his application for his family’s transfer of residence from Mariposa Loop, Bagong Lipunan, Crame, Quezon City to Burauen, Leyte.

In July last year, Pilar Bueno, municipal election officer of Burauen and the 3-man member of the Election Registration Board approved Romualdez’s application for transfer of residency.

On Feb. 8, Romualdez filed his certificate of candidacy for congressman of the second district of Leyte under the Partido ng Masang Pilipino, the political party of deposed former President Estrada.

He is running against Leyte Vice Gov. Trinidad "Ebbie" Apostol, wife of Rep. Sergio Apostol, whose third and last term will expire this year.

On March 4, his lawyer filed a motion changing his political party from PMP to the Nationalist Peoples Coalition (NPC) where his younger brother, reelectionist First District Rep. Alfred Romualdez, is the regional chairman.

Three persons Estela Soro, Evangeline Raga and Angelino Apostol filed Civil Case No. 100 against Romualdez and the entire members of the town election registration board, and sought the exclusion of the names of the Romualdezes from the voters’ registration list.

"The order is invalid and illegal. There was no notice to the respondents," lawyer Romulo Tiu, the chief of staff of Romualdez, told The STAR yesterday when reached for comment.

Tiu, who is also running for board member of the second district, pointed out that last April 26, Esmero issued an order informing Romualdez and the Burauen Election Registration Board that civil case 100 (exclusion) would be decided on May 3 at 2 p.m.

Tiu said they will appeal the decision before the sala of Judge Pepe Domael of the Regional Trial Court Branch 15 of Burauen, Leyte.