Former youth commission chairman Ronald Cardema claimed Wednesday he forked out P2 million to a congresswoman to ensure that Comelec Commissioner Rowena Guanzon would vote in favor of the accreditation of Duterte Youth party-list.
The claim drew an immediate comeback from Guanzon who dared Cardema to reveal the name of the congresswoman he alleged was his “bagwoman.”
Cardema has accused Guanzon of asking, through an emissary, P2 million from his camp in exchange for a favorable vote on the accreditation of Duterte Youth party-list.
He made the accusation after the Comelec First Division, of which Guanzon is a member, disqualified Cardema, 34, as nominee of Duterte Youth party-list for being beyond the age limit set by the law on party-list representatives for the youth sector, which is 25 to 30 years old on election day.
The word war between poll commissioner Guanzon and the former National Youth Commissioner chairman continues after the poll official claimed to received death threats immediately after the Comelec blocked Cardema’s nomination.
“Cardema should name that congresswoman or he should shut up,” Guanzon said in a Twitter post with a photo of a toilet bowl.
In an interview, Guanzon said Cardema should name the congressman who he claimed to be her bagwoman, so they could file charges against each other.
“They are the ones talking to each other, and why implicate me? He refused to name the congresswoman and how should I know her?” the poll official said.
Cardema, a known close ally of President Rodrigo Duterte, recently accused Guanzon of trying to extort P2 million in exchange for the Comelec accreditation of the party-list group.
He said he received text messages from an unidentified congresswoman who served as Guanzon’s emissary.
However, Guanzon denied the accusations of Cardema, whom she described as a liar and name-dropper.
“This one I can say to Ronald Cardema: you have not yet been born, I am already a lawyer,” said Guanzon, adding “don’t threaten me with impeachment, because you admitted you attempted to bribe me.”
