Bautista, Guanzon face off at Comelec today

MANILA, Philippines - A face-off looms today between Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Andres Bautista and Commissioner Rowena Guanzon over what he considers her “irregular” and hasty move to file comment on the disqualification case of presidential candidate Sen. Grace Poe before the Supreme Court (SC).

Guanzon said in the special full commission meeting this morning she would discuss with Bautista the memorandum he issued to her asking her to explain why she filed a comment on Poe’s disqualification case to the SC without the concurrence of the entire Comelec.

“I will ask him, ‘chairman, what is this memo all about?’ You know you could have just called me,” Guanzon said in an interview over dzBB yesterday.

“We are friends and I don’t understand why all of a sudden we are not friends just because he dissented (from the disqualification of Poe). He is our chairman and I want to respect him, but this is so in poor taste,” she added.

In her comment, Guanzon urged the SC to lift its temporary restraining order on the poll body’s decision to disqualify Poe from the presidential race. She filed a comment to the SC on Jan. 7 without the concurrence of the full commission, a move that surprised Comelec officials.

Bautista said Guanzon’s filing was “irregular and personally disrespectful” since the Comelec was given until Jan. 12 to file its comment in connection with the petition for certiorari against Comelec’s decision to cancel Poe’s certificate of candidacy for president. 

Bautista issued a memorandum asking Guanzon to explain and warned her that he would be compelled to inform the SC that the 73-page comment she filed was not authorized should she fail to give a satisfactory explanation.

But a defiant Guanzon maintained that as a commissioner she was a peer of Bautista. 

“I am not a subordinate or employee of Chairman Bautista and he has no administrative supervision or control over me,” she said.

Guanzon also said Bautista has no authority to require her to submit a written explanation. She argued that instead of leaking the memorandum requiring her to explain why she submitted a comment before the SC without his approval, Bautista should have just called or waited for their scheduled meeting today.

But Guanzon hopes that after the full session meeting, Comelec officials would be able to settle their differences and resolve whether the comment she submitted to the SC will undergo revision or be maintained.

“Definitely, the members of the en banc will be meeting and vote for confirmation or probably to add or revise the comment,” she added.

She insisted that she submitted the comment upon the agreement of all the members of the commission, adding that if she waited for Bautista to sign the comment, the poll body would not be able to meet the deadline set by the SC.

“We have been working hard even during the holiday break just to comply with the SC and this is the way to repay us,” she said.

Guanzon also said Bautista was probably irked because he is against the disqualification of Poe from the presidential race.

“What can we do? She is not a natural-born citizen and lacking in residency. We are not favoring any candidates. The Comelec decision is based on evidence,” she maintained.

Guanzon also told Poe and her camp to stop criticizing the Comelec for disqualifying her.

“They should stop complaining and wait for the high court’s ruling. It’s the job of the Comelec to rule on elections matters,” she added.

Escudero: It’s insubordination

But Poe’s running mate and vice presidential candidate Sen. Francis Joseph Escudero lambasted Guanzon for filing a comment on Poe’s case without the concurrence of the entire Comelec.

Escudero said he was appalled at Guanzon’s show of “insubordination” and disrespect to Bautista as well as to the Comelec as an institution.

“Even assuming arguendo that she is not a subordinate of the chairman as she claims, the Comelec is a collegial body that always acts collectively and not individually,” he said.

Escudero equated Guanzon’s action as an attempt to undermine the integrity of the poll body and the May elections.

“This validates our observation that Commissioner Guanzon is a threat to our democracy and the conduct of elections come May,” he said.

 Escudero challenged Guanzon to present any resolution of the Comelec that would prove that she was authorized by the poll body to represent it before the SC.

Escudero also urged Bautista to fight attempts by certain elements within the poll body to undermine the integrity of the institution and imperil the holding of a fair and credible election in May.

“This bullying has got to end,” he said. “I implore Chairman Bautista to stand his ground and expose these people who are seeking to sabotage the electoral process. It is his duty to the Filipino people if only to reassure voters that their sacred right to vote, to choose the next leaders of this country is protected.”

Palace leaving all to Comelec

Malacañang said it was leaving it to the Comelec to respond to Poe’s statement that the poll body was in disarray.

Earlier, Poe’s spokesman, Valenzuela City Mayor Rex Gatchalian called on Bautista “to put the house in order” and to probe Guanzon’s action to ensure that the Comelec remains impartial.

“Comelec is an independent constitutional body and it would be better if we wait for the results of their discussion,” Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. told state-run radio station dzRB yesterday.

“In our view, the stability of Comelec is important especially now that the election period has started,” he added. – With Christina Mendez, Alexis Romero