FORMER Palawan governor Mario Joel Reyes, who is looking to make a political comeback, is facing a disqualification case before the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
A petition for disqualification filed on April 28 by Palawan voters Nasir Miranda and Mohammad Asgali said Reyes is a convicted criminal and a “fugitive from justice.”
The petitioners said a motion for reconsideration filed by Reyes before the Supreme Court on his 2019 conviction for violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, which is punishable with six to eight years imprisonment, is intended to delay the court proceedings as the motion merely reiterated issues already decided by the Sandiganbayan and High Tribunal’s Third Division.
The petitioners also said Reyes should be barred from running as he is known to be a fugitive from justice.
The petitioners were referring to Reyes’ move of fleeing the country in 2012 after he was charged with the murder of environmentalist and broadcaster Gerry Ortega.
“Given the foregoing timeline of events, respondent must be in the process of serving his sentence, or at the very least, still in detention,” said the petitioners.
“The fact that respondent is no longer in detention, despite a judgement of conviction and a revoked bail, is proof of respondent’s evasion of prosecution or punishment,” they added.
Under the Local Government Code, disqualified to run from public office are those sentenced by final judgment for an offense involving moral turpitude or for an offense punishable with a minimum of one year imprisonment; and those identified as fugitives from justice in criminal or non-political cases locally or abroad.
