EDITORIAL - Pe's complicated case

The Commission on Elections has finally approved the transfer of residency of two third-termer Cebu City councilors who want to run in next year’s elections but are barred from seeking reelection.

Augustus “Jun” Pe and Raul “Yayoy” Alcoseba are now qualified to vote in their new respective areas. Pe has transferred to the south district from the north where he is still serving as a councilor.

Alcoseba took a giant step down south to relocate his residency to Carcar City, tens of miles away from Cebu City’s south district where he is serving his last term as representative to the City Council.

Being able to vote in their new areas is not actually the first and only reason why Pe and Alcoseba chose to transfer their residency. Their foremost mission is to run again in the May elections.

But since the law prohibits them from seeking reelection, the two councilors opted to transfer their residency to gain a fresh mandate for another political run. Alcoseba is reportedly eyeing a seat at the Cebu Provincial Board, the reason he transferred to Carcar City.

Well, we see nothing wrong with Alcoseba’s running for the PB. It is well within the law given the fact that he is eyeing for a new position, away from the one he has been holding for over nine years.  

The case of Pe, however, is a complicated one. Although he can no longer run for the council in the north district, he wanted to run for the same position again, this time in the south.

Yes, he is barred from seeking reelection in the north. But the law is unclear whether he cannot also run in the south. So, in the absence of a clear legal justification, he is testing the waters.

Once Pe files his certificate of candidacy, the ball would then be thrown into the hands of the Comelec.  And the poll body should resolve the issue before the May elections otherwise things would start to be more difficult.