The Commission on Elections (Comelec) released Monday Commissioner Rowena Guanzon’s separate opinion on the consolidated disqualification cases against presidential aspirant Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., also known as BBM, according to reports.
Based on the contents of the released separate opinion, Guanzon has sided with the petitioners and voted to disqualify Marcos in this year’s presidential elections.
“I vote to grant the petitions for disqualification filed against Respondent Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos, Jr. The facts are undisputed,” Guanzon wrote in her separate opinion.
Guanzon claims that she was able to finish and submit her separate opinion to the Comelec’s first division on Jan. 17, 2022.
“In view of the foregoing, I vote to GRANT the Petitions for Disqualification and declare Respondent FERDINAND R MARCOS II DISQUALIFIED from running for the position of President of the Philippines,” the separate opinion states.
Moreover, Guanzon revealed in a tweet that she will be divulgibg her separate opinion at 2 pm on Jan. 31, 2022. She authorized the Comelec to release a copy of the separate opinion to the public.
The disqualification case against Marcos revolves on the issue of the presidential aspirant’s
failure to file income tax returns and pay the corresponding tax deficiency.
Marcos was found guilty for the accusations and was affirmed by the Court of Appeals, which penalized the candidate with a fine.
Guanzon, who is set to retire on February 2, is the presiding commissioner of the Comelec First Division.
The First Division is the one handling the disqualification cases against Marcos.
Guanzon has questioned the delay in the release of the division’s resolution on the matter.
The ponente, or the person given the task to write the resolution, is Commissioner Aimee Ferolino.
Ferolino is an appointee of President Rodrigo Duterte.
In the morning of Jan. 31,
2022, Guanzon challenged Ferolino to resign with her, as the integrity of the Comelec is “now in question”.
Ferolino has claimed that Guanzon is “imposing” her opinions on the ponente.
As of this writing the resolution of the Comelec’s First Division is yet to be released.
Meanwhile, Marcos’ camp referred to an earlier ruling of Comelec’s Second Division. The petitioners sought to cancel Marcos’ Certificate of Candidacy (CoC).
Lawyer Vic Rodriguez, Marcos’ spokesman in a statement said: “The unanimous decision handed down by the 2nd Division of the Comelec is clear and categorical: Presidential aspirant Bongbong Marcos possesses all the qualifications and NONE of the disqualification to run, campaign and serve the Filipino people when elected president come May 9 this year.”