Presidential bets unfazed as Marcos hurdles 3 more blocks to candidacy
MANILA, Philippines — Fellow presidential aspirants of Ferdinand “Bongbong" Marcos Jr., current survey frontrunner, said they are unfazed that he has leared three more legal challenges in his bid for Malacañang.
The campaign of his archrival Vice President Leni Robredo has repeatedly said they would rather beat Marcos in the elections.
"The disqualification was never a consideration. From the time she announced her candidacy, she always intended to achieve victory in the elections," Robredo spokesperson Barry Gutierrez said.
In a decision promulgated Thursday, the Commission on Elections Former First Division unanimously junked the three consolidated disqualification petitions against Marcos due to lack of merit.
The ruling came shortly after the retirement from the commission of Rowena Guanzon, who said she would have voted to disqualify Marcos over his conviction for failing to file his tax returns.
The petitioners raised Marcos’ conviction for failure to file Income Tax Returns for four years in questioning whether he is perpetually disqualified from holding public office; whether he was convicted of a crime of moral turpitude; and whether he is perpetually disqualified because he was convicted of an offense that carried a penalty of more than 18 months.
The election commissioners said: "We recognize that the resolution of the instant case is of paramount importance, considering that the 2022 [national and local elections] is fast approaching."
"However, the deprivation of one’s right to be voted for in any election should not be exercised whimsically and capriciously, lest We will be preventing qualified candidates from pursuing a position in public office," the resolution released Thursday read.
Marcos’ spokesperson, lawyer Vic Rodriguez, commended the members of the Comelec’s Former First Division, and called on petitioners "to stop spreading lies against [Marcos]."
Nothing changed
Sen. Manny Pacquiao said he was not surprised by the Comelec’s vote to junk the petitions.
He maintained that this "has no effect in our campaign to convince our people that the Philippines needs a leader who will not cheat and steal and one who truly loves our people."
"Whether he gets disqualified or not, nothing will change in our plan to fight for the poor," Pacquiao added in Filipino.
Petitioners seeking Marcos’ disqualification vowed that they will file a motion for reconsideration on the ruling.
A total of seven legal challenges against Marcos’ presidential bid was filed before the Comelec. He has been cleared of six—including this latest consolidated disqualification suits that were junked—but two are currently on appeal.
Marcos is still facing a separate petition for disqualification, filed by an Ilocano group, pending before the Second Division. In this case, petitioners have filed their memorandum on January 17.
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