Lawmaker seeks graft raps vs Ronald Cardema

MANILA, Philippines — Disqualified Duterte Youth nominee Ronald Cardema should be prosecuted for graft for his alleged offer of P2 million to Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner Rowena Guanzon in exchange for his group’s accreditation, Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Carlos Zarate said yesterday.

“He has admitted and implicated himself when he agreed to the supposed P2-million bribe for Commissioner Guanzon and other corrupt arrangements for the accreditation of his family-controlled party-list group,” Zarate said.

It was an admission against interest, which is a strong piece of evidence under the law, Zarate, who is a lawyer, said.

He noted that since Cardema supposedly offered the bribe when he was chairman of the National Youth Commission (NYC), “he should be charged with graft.”

Zarate said Guanzon or any of the state’s anti-graft agencies, such as the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission and Office of the Ombudsman, could file the case.

The former NYC chief has claimed that aside from asking for money, Guanzon allegedly requested for the appointment of two unnamed persons – one as a judge and the other as a regional official in Iloilo – through an unidentified congresswoman.

Guanzon has denied the accusations, saying if Cardema paid any amount, he was duped.