Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — On Monday morning (January 11), the members of the Commission on Elections settled business at the Chairman’s office.
They prepared to submit a comment to the Supreme Court on Sen. Grace Poe’s petition to have the Commission on Election’s (Comelec) rulings against her overturned.
But the question is, will they have to replace the one filed by Commissioner Rowena Guanzon filed last week?
The comment was questioned by Chairman Andy Bautista – because Guanzon supposedly failed to consult him and the other commissioners beforehand.
Guanzon took to social media, slamming Bautista for issuing her a memo – an internal matter that was made public through a leakage.
Guanzon said she only did her job – by meeting the high court’s deadline.
But Bautista said the court had already agreed to extend that deadline.
Whether Guanzon knew about it – and whether she was right in claiming she had the en banc’s approval to submit the comment.
The leakage added controversy to the Comelec’s plate – which was already full with preparations for the upcoming polls.
It leaves room for speculation – whether political forces are at play within the poll body – supposedly the impartial manager and judge of elections.
Nevertheless, the Comelec filed another comment on a separate case involving Poe – penned by Commissioner Arthur Lim.
It defended the decision to block Poe’s candidacy – saying Poe’s counter arguments are invalid.
And this time – it bears the signatures of all the commissioners and the Chairman.
