Poe camp receives Comelec en banc disqualification ruling

MANILA, Philippines - The camp of Sen. Grace Poe on Wednesday received the copy of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) en banc ruling to disqualify the senator from the presidential race in the 2016 elections.

The STAR earlier reported that the Comelec en banc voted 5-2 to deny the motion for reconsideration filed on the ruling of its First Division on the cases filed by former Sen. Kit Tatad, De La Salle University Prof. Antonio Contreras and former University of the East Law Dean Amado Valdez.

Meanwhile, the Comelec en banc voted 5-1-1 on the motion for reconsideration on the Second Division ruling on the disqualification case filed by lawyer Estrella Elamparo.

Commissioner Robert Lim inhibited from the decision regarding the Second Division ruling while Comelec Chair Andy Bautista dissented.

In his dissenting opinion, Bautista said that he voted to dismiss the petition to disqualify Poe as there is no deliberate intent to mislead or misinform.

Comelec chairBautista's 53-page dissenting opinion on Elamparo's petition vs Poe. @PhilippineStar pic.twitter.com/Yyu5U3qhCA

— sheila crisostomo (@shecrisostomo) December 23, 2015

Bautista, however, clarified that the name of Poe is still included in the list of presidential candidates.

Poe earlier insisted that she remains a candidate for president until the Supreme Court rules in her case.

The senator and Vice President Jejomar topped the latest presidential preference survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations.