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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider Visayas devider Mayor Gomez files DQ cases vs Veloso, Tacoy

Mayor Gomez files DQ cases vs Veloso, Tacoy

Published May 8, 2025 09:55 pm
CEBU CITY – Ormoc City, Leyte Mayor Lucy Torres-Gomez on Thursday, May 8, filed separate disqualification cases against two candidates running for congressman and mayor in the province in the May 12 elections.
MAYOR Gomez
MAYOR Gomez
Mayor Gomez asked the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to disqualify ex-Leyte Rep. and former Associate Justice Vicente Sofronio E. Veloso III and Matag-ob Mayor Bernandino G. Tacoy.
Veloso is running for representative in the fourth district of Leyte against the incumbent, Richard Gomez, the husband of Mayor Gomez. Tacoy is seeking reelection.
The ground for the petition for the disqualification cases that Mayor Gomez filed was alleged violation of Section 68 (e) in relation to Section 261 (e) of the Omnibus Election Code. The section prohibits “threats, intimidation, terrorism, use of fraudulent device, or other forms of coercion.”
In the petition filed against Tacoy, Mayor Gomez cited a Facebook video of Tacoy that has been viewed 9,900 times to date.
In the video, Tacoy declared that: "Sa eleksyon, bahalag mag pinatyanay ta, ug gusto mana ninyo, basta ang pang serbisyo sa mga tao atong ayuhon. Pero inig eleksyon ug gusto ninyo ilugon ang Matag-ob aw mag patay ta, kung unhan ko ninyo (In the election, it doesn't matter if it comes down to bloodshed, if that's what you want. But let's commit to serving the people better. But in the coming election, if you want to take Matag-ob, blood will spill if you provoke me)."
In the case of Veloso, a video of the former justice is publicly accessible via Facebook, where he said, "Kini timan-an nila, kay gipakatug lang nako ang panuway karon sa akong lawas. Pero before kay kada adlaw musimba jud ko, ayaw pukawa ang panuway kay lisod, pero ug mapukaw man gali ang panuway sa akong lawas ug kinahanglan ko mupatay, oy mupatay ko. (This is what they need to remember, because I am just putting the devil to sleep inside my body. Before I used to go to mass daily. But don't make any effort to awaken the devil, and if the need arises for me to kill, I will kill)."
Mayor Gomez said these videos have stirred feelings of terror in many residents of the fourth district. She said that the acts of Tacoy and Veloso violate Section 4 (a) of Republic Act 11479 or the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020.
Last Tuesday, she filed a disqualification case against self-confessed drug lord Kerwin Espinosa, who is running for mayor in Albuera town, Leyte.
Mayor Gomez filed the disqualification case after Espinosa challenged Rep. Gomez to a gun duel during a Facebook Live session.

Related Tags

Ormoc City Mayor Lucy Torres-Gomez Leyte Richard Gomez 2025 elections Matalinong Boto 2025
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