THE presidential bid of former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos’, Jr. has hit yet another snag, with another petition seeking his disqualification from the 2022 polls.
On Wednesday, a group of petitioners, which includes former Bayan Muna Party-List Representative Saturnino “Satur” Ocampo and Gabriela Women’s Party-List Liza Maza filed the petition before the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
Their 59-page petition cited the threat of Marcos’s candidacy on the reparations for the victims of the dictatorship of his later father, former President Ferdinand Marcos, Sr.
They also cited the younger Marcos’ conviction for violating the National Internal Revenue Code, which has a penalty of perpetual disqualification from public office and participation in any election.
The group also cited Marcos’ claim in the Certificate of Candidacy (COC) he filed before the Comelec last month, where he claimed he was not convicted of any crime with a sanction of perpetual disqualification from holding public office.
“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,” the petition said.
Marcos is currently running for president under the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas.
In a virtual press conference, Howard Calleja, the lawyer of the petitioners, said his clients opted to push for the disqualification of Marcos to stress to the public that the former senator is not qualified for public office for violating the law.
“He (Marcos) is already perpetually disqualified and totally disregards that accessory penalty of perpetual disqualification,” Calleja said.
“For the Comelec and the Filipino people, we need to inform them how they are still being fooled by Marco Jr. by violating the law,” he added.
Aside from Ocampo and Maza, the other petitioners are Bonifacio Parabuac Ilagan, Maria Carolina Pagaduan Araullo, Trinidad Gerlita Repuno, Joanna Kintanar Cariño, Elisa Tita Perez Lubi, Liza Maza, Danilo Mallari Dela Fuente, Carmencita Mendoza Florentino, Doroteo Cubacuba Abaya Jr., Erlinda Nable Senturias, Sr. Arabella Cammagay Balingao, Sr. Cherry Ibardaloza, Sr. Susan Santos Esmile, Homar Rubert Roca Distajo, Polynne Espineda Dira, James Carwyn Candila, and Jonas Angelo Lopena Abadilla.
Marcos is currently facing two other petitions before Comelec for cancellation or denial due course of his COC also for the same grounds cited by the latest petition against him.
The first of the two earlier filed petitions is set to undergo preconference meeting before the Comelec Second Division next week.
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