Various groups and sectors will put pressure on the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) First Division to release its decision on the three disqualification cases against Bongbong Marcos Jr., 10am tomorrow, February 1, at COMELEC.
This follows after the ponente’s failure to submit the ponencia. Commissioner Rowena Guanzon previously revealed Commissioner Aimee Ferolino as the ponente and reiterated possible political interference, asserting “deliberate” delay due to a senator’s influence on Ferolino.
She went on to challenge Ferolino to resign before February 3 as the commission’s integrity is in jeopardy.
Similar sentiments have been expressed by the petitioners and Marcos Jr.’s staunch critics, saying that the Commission’s delay in releasing the First Division’s decision on the petitions undermines the COMELEC’s credibility in conducting fair and non-fraudulent elections.
Earlier today, Guanzon attended a mass in the Manila Cathedral and staged a protest in front of the COMELEC and also publicized her separate opinion, through COMELEC spox James Jimenez today. She regarded the current situation as a “war between good and evil.”
She cited Marcos’ non-compliance with the filing of income tax returns (ITR) as moral turpitude, and laid out the Quezon City Regional Trial Court’s certification of Marcos’ failure to serve his sentence as legal basis in favoring disqualification.
“Undoubtedly, Respondent [Marcos, Jr.] wielded considerable power and influence. Instead of setting a good example for his constituents to emulate, Respondent acted as if the law did not apply to him,” Guanzon stated.
Tomorrow, February 1, is set to be the final day for the First Division to publicize their ponencia while Guanzon is set to retire by February 2, Wednesday, hence compromising the validity of her vote which rules in favor of the petitioners.
“Commissioner Guanzon has given an ultimatum: the ponencia must be released today, or she will divulge the identities of these figures. She has already made public her separate opinion on our petitions, but the decision of the First Division, which should have already been out last January 17, is still to be released – and with every day that our petitions remain undecided, the independence of the Commission on Elections is further put into question,” Campaign Against the Return of the Marcoses and Martial Law, one of the petitioners, said in a statement.
CARMMA calls on sectors to join Guanzon and the petitioners’ demands for the COMELEC to release the First Division’s decision and to disqualify Marcos, Jr. from running as president in the 2022 national elections.
However, Comm. Ferolino is yet to release the ponencia despite Guanzon’s deadline today. In a letter today, she criticized Guanzon for pressuring her and causing damage to COMELEC’s credibility.
Since last week, Guanzon has shown her fierce criticism and exposition of possible attacks on the electoral process led by Marcos Jr.’s camp through her tweets and media appearances which gained support from many groups and netizens.
#DefeatDuterteMarcos
Featured image courtesy of AP News
