Mudslinging takes center stage in Parañaque

From manilatimes.net:

WHILE the campaign period for local elections has yet to start, mudslinging and black propaganda are becoming the order of the day in Parañaque City.

Councilor Florencio “Benjo” Ber­nabe 3rd, who is running in the mayoralty race on Friday lambasted his opponent, Rep. Edwin Olivarez of the First District of Parañaque, for allegedly spreading rumors that he failed to meet the age requirement for the mayoralty post.

Benjo, the son of outgoing Mayor Florencio Bernabe Jr. of Parañaque, will be fighting it out with Olivarez, who is a son of former mayor Pablo Olivarez of this city.

While the campaign is about start, the younger Bernabe is criticizing the younger Olivarez for allegedly spreading rumors that he failed to meet the age requirement for the mayoralty post.

Citing Section 39 of the 1991 Local Government Code, the 37-year-old Bernabe pointed out that candidates for mayor of a highly urbanized city, such as Parañaque, should at least be 23 years old on election day. Olivarez is 44.

“Just as I have filed by COC [certificate of candidacy], our political rivals have started with their smear campaign,” Bernabe said.

Bernabe filed his candidacy in October, with Jose Enrico Golez, son of incumbent Rep. Roilo Golez of the Second District of Parañaque as his running mate. Both are running under the banner of United Nationalist Alliance.

Olivarez, meanwhile, will be running with Councilor Edwin Benzon under the Liberal party-led coalition.

His father, Pablo also unsuccessfully tried to retake the mayoralty seat in 2010 but lost against incumbent mayor Bernabe.