Comelec en banc files comment on Poe’s DQ case before SC

MANILA, Philippines – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) en banc on Monday afternoon filed before the Supreme Court its comment on Sen. Grace Poe’s appeal on one of the petitions cancelling her certificate of candidacy.

The Comelec en banc submitted its 50-page comment to the SC particularly on Poe’s appeal against lawyer Estrella “Star” Elamparo’s petition to disqualify her, in compliance to the directive of the high tribunal. In the Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) issued and amended on Dec. 28 and 29, 2015, the SC asked the Comelec, to submit its comment regarding Poe’s motion for reconsideration.

"In order to succeed, the petitioner (Poe) has to manifestly show before the Honorable Court that the Comelec committed grave abuse of discretion amounting to lack or excess of jurisdiction when it promulgated its 23 December 2015 resolution," Comelec’s comment stated.

This was the second comment filed by the poll body before the SC as Comelec Commissioner Ma. Rowena Amelia Guanzon on January 7 also filed a comment upholding other petitions filed by former Sen. Francisco Tatad, former University of the East law dean Amado Valdez, and political analyst Antonio Contreras. The comment caused a rift between Guanzon and Comelec Chair Juan Andres Bautista as she filed a comment without the concurrence of the Comelec en banc.

All seven members of the Comelec en banc namely Bautista, Guanzon, Christian Robert Lim, Luie Tito Guia, Al Parreño, Sheriff Abas and Arthur Lim signed the comment on Poe’s appeal.

Meanwhile, one of the petitioners, Valdez, also filed his comment against Poe’s appeal before the SC on Monday. He sought to affirm the cancelation of Poe’s COC for president.

In his comment,  upheld the Comelec en banc’s ruling to disqualify Poe from the presidential race saying no grave of discretion was committed when it declared that Poe committed material misinterpretation based on questions of citizenship and residency. He also mentioned his worry over Poe's "dual allegiance" which he considers a threat to national interest.