FORMER Foreign Affairs secretary Alan Peter S. Cayetano and his wife, exiting Taguig Mayor Maria Laarni “Lani” L. Cayetano, who are both running for congressional seats in two different districts in Taguig, have asserted that the Comission on Elections (Comelec) has no authority to evaluate their eligibility to run amid the disqualification cases filed against them. In both of the Verified Answers of Mr. and Ms. Cayetano dated Dec. 4, they said the Comelec “has no authority to determine a candidate’s qualification in pre-election petitions.” Last month, two separate petitions were filed seeking the cancellation of their Certificate of Candidacies (CoCs). Mr. Cayetano is running for the 1st District while Ms. Cayetano in the 2nd. The petitions, filed by Taguig voter Leonidas C. Buac Jr., cited that the married couple indicated different addresses in their CoCs, which is against the Family Code that states husband and wife must live together in one matrimonial residence. The Cayetanos said their eligibility to hold office has to be determined by the proper authority and not the Comelec. They added that a petition for quo warranto, which challenges one’s authority, could also be filed, but this process can only be done after the elections. — Gillian M. Cortez
