(Eagle News) – The Commission on Election (Comelec) en banc has affirmed the dismissal of the four disqualification cases against presidential frontrunner Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., on Tuesday, May 10.
This was a day after the historic May 9, 2022 national and local elections which saw Marcos Jr., the son of the late President Ferdinand Marcos, winning by a landslide over Vice-President Leni Robredo.
In a vote of 6-0-1, with only one commissioner, George Garcia inihibiting from the cases, the Comelec upheld the earlier rulings of the Comelec’s first and second divisions that junked the disqualification cases against Marcos Jr., in two separate resolutions.
Comelec Chair Saidamen Pangarungan, and Commissioners Marlon Casquejo, Rey Bulay, Aimee Ferolino, Socorro Inting and Aimee Neri all voted to dismiss the motions for reconsideration filed by the petitioners who were seeking to disqualify Marcos Jr., from the presidential race.
Three of the appeals were regarding the earlier junking of the petitions SPA 21-212, SPA 21-232, and SPA 21-233.
The petitions were filed by a group of martial law activists led by Bonifacio Ilagan, Akbayan Partylist, and a group claiming to be real officers of the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas led by “ousted” PFP chair Abubakar Mangelen.
The Commission en banc also affirmed the earlier resolution of the Comelec’s First Division that dismissed the consolidated disqualification cases against Marcos for lack of merit.
All these stemmed from his failure to file income tax returns during the 1980s, particularly from 1982 to 1985, when he was still the vice-governor and later governor of Ilocos Norte.
The fourth appeal dismissed was on the partial motion for reconsideration filed by petitioner Christian Buenafe and others who sought to cancel the certificate of candidacy of Marcos Jr.
The Comelec en banc upheld the Comelec’s second division ruling against Buenafe’s petition.
With the decision of the Comelec en banc, this paved the way for a possible proclamation of presidential frontrunner Marcos Jr, as the next Philippine president.
The petitioners could still opt to file its appeal of the Comelec’s decision with the Supreme Court.
(Eagle News Service)