Prospero Pichay Jr. faces disqualification

MANILA, Philippines — A petition has been filed to disqualify Surigao del Sur first district Rep. Prospero Pichay Jr. from seeking another term.

Former congresswoman Mary Elizabeth Ty, who will be pitted against Pichay in next year’s elections, asked the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to cancel his certificate of candidacy (COC).

In her petition, Ty said Pichay is disqualified from running or holding any government position after the Office of the Ombudsman in a resolution issued in 2013 found him guilty of grave misconduct.

The ombudsman had earlier asked the Sandiganbayan to dismiss Pichay’s petition to junk the graft charges filed against him over the alleged anomalous release of P1.5 million to sponsor a chess tournament when he was chairman of the Local Water Utilities Administration.

“He knew very well that he shouldn’t have filed a COC because the ombudsman issued an order... with an additional penalty of perpetual disqualification from holding any government position,” Ty said.

“I’m hoping that the... Comelec will let the rules of court prevail... I am banking on their immediate decision regarding my petition,” she said.