RELATED: Guanzon says ‘powerful politician’ may be behind Marcos case delay
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 28) — Commission on Elections Commissioner Rowena Guanzon is receiving mixed reactions after revealing that she voted to disqualify former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos from the upcoming presidential elections.
The three petitioners who sought the disqualification of Marcos—Akbayan Party-list, Campaign Against the Return of the Marcoses and Martial Law (CARMMA), and National Commission on Muslim Filipinos Commissioner Abubakar Mangelen—welcomed Guanzon’s vote in their favor.
Akbayan said it was right in asserting that the late dictator’s son and namesake is not qualified to run for public office for his 1995 conviction for failing to file his income tax return for four years, then again failing to pay fines.
“Binuking niya ang matagal nang pambubudol ni Bongbong Marcos. Hindi kwalipikado na lumahok si Bongbong sa ating halalan,” the group said in a statement Thursday.
[Translation: She exposed the long-standing lies of Bongbong Marcos. He is not qualified to run in our national elections.]
The CARMMA on Friday said it is eagerly waiting to hear the identity of the “powerful politician” supposedly interfering with Comelec first division’s decision and causing the delay in its release, as revealed by Guanzon to CNN Philippines late Thursday.
“We beseech Commissioners Aimee Ferolino and Marlon Casquejo to stand on the right side of history and decide for truth, justice, and integrity — and no more delays,” the martial law victims said, referring to Guanzon’s fellow poll commissioners in the first division.
Meanwhile, the political party of Marcos urged Comelec to penalize Guanzon, threatening it could lead to the forfeiture of her retirement benefits and lifetime pension.
Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP) General Counsel George Briones urgently called on the Comelec En Banc on Friday to conduct an administrative probe for her “illegal” disclosure of her vote, claiming this shows her “undue interest” to seeing Marcos removed from the presidential race.
“To the extent that she will forfeit her retirement benefits and lifetime pension to support the candidacy of Vice President Leni Robredo, who the petitioners in this case openly support, speaks of how deep she (GUANZON) IS INTERESTED IN THIS CASE,” Briones said in a statement.
Guanzon, who is set to retire on Feb. 2, is not taking the threats from PFP sitting down.
“Alam ba ni BBM that Partido Federal is threatening me, the Presiding Commissioner while his case is pending? Baka e contempt ko kayo ipakulong ko kayo sa Mla city jail,” she tweeted on Friday.
Guanzon disclosed her vote against Marcos on Thursday, more than a week after the first division’s target to release the decision.
She also said Commissioner Ferolino — who has been tasked to pen the first division’s decision on the Marcos case — has been incommunicado for four days now. She claimed the resolution has been “hijacked by the ponente.”
The votes of two other commissioners in the First Division have not yet been revealed. At least one more member must have a similar vote to formalize the division’s decision.
