BIDS to take presidential aspirant Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. out of the May 2022 polls keep piling as a group of martial law victims and human rights advocates yesterday filed a petition for disqualification at the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
In their 59-page petition, the petitioners led by former party-list representatives Satur Ocampo and Liza Maza said Marcos is not eligible to run for president because he is a convicted criminal.
They said that Marcos made “false material representations in his certificate of candidacy (COC), particularly in part 22 of the certificate of candidacy when he unqualifiedly stated that he has allegedly not been found liable for an offense, which carries with it the accessory penalty of perpetual disqualification to hold public office, which has become final and executory,” said the petitioners.
“This material misrepresentation is more than sufficient ground for the Honorable Commission to cancel respondent convicted candidate Marcos, Jr.’s certificate of candidacy, or to deny due course to the same. Or, in the alternative, disqualify the respondent convicted candidate Marcos, Jr.’s from holding public office,” they furthered.
Similar to the “petition to cancel or deny due course to his COC,” the petitioners alleged that Marcos must not be allowed to run for president as he is a convicted criminal after having been found guilty of four counts of tax evasion. They said the Comelec “has no discretion to ignore” the conviction, including penalties provided under the law.
Earlier, a petition to deny due course or cancel Marcos Jr.’s COC for president was filed at the Comelec after the latter was accused of making multiple false material representations in his COC. A petition-in-intervention was subsequently filed at the Comelec in the case against Marcos.
A coalition of at least 20 church and civic groups asked the Comelec to hasten the resolution of the cases against Marcos.
The Halalang Marangal 2022 (HM2022) said it is imperative for the Comelec to resolve the matter as soon as possible regardless on who will win the case.
“Be it known that the Halalang Marangal 2022 will not side with any of the parties involved. Instead, it urges the Comelec to immediately act on the petition in the spirit of the law,” said HM2022 chairman Fr Antonio Labiao.
“In this regard, we call on the Comelec en banc to fast track the resolution of the petition so as not to create confusion among the electorate,” he added.
