by Miriam G. Desacada
Ormoc City–The candidacy of Emmanuel “Wing-wing” Balmoria Veloso (Partido Federal ng Pilipinas) for a seat in the House of Representatives (3rd district, Leyte) has been contested for disqualification via a petition filed at the COMELEC recently.
A certain Emmanuel Mariblanca Veloso, in his petition filed at the Comelec central office on Oct. 24, disputed Wing-wing’s certificate of candidacy, filed on Oct. 3, as defective with discrepancies and legal impairment, thus disqualifying him as a candidate for any political post in the 2025 elections.
Mariblanca Veloso contended that Wing-wing is a US citizen, but his renunciation of such citizenship that could have allowed him to run for public office in the Philippines was defective.
He alleged that Wing-wing’s affidavit of renunciation of US citizenship was sworn to and signed by Quezon City Jail Superintendent Warren Geronimo on October 1 or two days before Wing-wing’s COC was filed at Comelec.
Mariblanca Veloso argued that Geronimo, under Bureau of Jail Management and Penology rules, is not authorized to sign such renunciation, which only makes it a private document without legal effect. The petitioner added that the notarization of Wing-wing’s CoC, sworn before a jail warden, is contrary to Comelec’s requirement that CoCs be sworn before a notary public or an authorized official.
The petition also hinted that, with only a couple of days interval between his renunciation and filing of COC, it would be improbable to secure a certificate—needed for Comelec attachment—from the foreign government confirming that the renunciation of his citizenship has been accepted, as well as for Wing-wing to subsequently pledge allegiance to the Philippines for which he reacquired his Filipino citizenship.
Mariblanca Velos further pointed out that while the CoC listed Wing-wing’s birthdate as September 21, 1955, two attached affidavits of renunciation of foreign citizenship indicated his birthdate as September 21, 1957.
“This is not a mere clerical error since the two affidavits clearly state September 21, 1957, as the date of birth,” the petitioner argued on his petition he filed at the Comelec.
Mariblanca Veloso argued that the CoC’s irregularities necessitate its cancellation.
“The Constitution, laws, jurisprudence, and Comelec regulations are clearly leaning on the respondent not being a Filipino citizen. The CoC, affidavit of renunciation dated October 1, 2024, and other related documents were all administered by an officer unauthorized to administer oaths for this purpose,” he stated.
The petitioner then urged Comelec to disqualify Wing-wing (Balmoria Veloso), asserting: “The respondent should not be allowed to run for the position of member of the House of Representatives for the 3rd district of Leyte.”
Wing-wing is currently detained in Quezon City Jail, facing allegations of masterminding the killing of Levi Mabini, municipal administrator of San Isidro in Leyte on May 8, 2019.
The CoC of Wing-wing was filed, in his behalf, by lawyer Rem Beryl Veloso. Wing-wing is aiming to run against incumbent Rep. Anna Victoria Veloso-Tuazon who is seeking reelection for a second term. —-Miriam G. Desacada