Quezon City Rep. Vincent “Bingbong” Crisologo said he did not think that he had “anything to worry about” after the disqualification case pending against him in the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
“The disqualification case came from one of my rivals’ camp. They are doing everything they can, especially since I’m leading in surveys as well,” Crisologo claimed during an Inquirer interview on Wednesday.
On Monday, Sophia Lorenza Zamora, a resident of Quezon City, asked the Comelec to disqualify Crisologo from running, saying he had not been granted an absolute pardon.
Crisologo was sentenced to double life imprisonment in 1970 after he was found guilty of arson and homicide for burning Barangays Ora Centro and Ora Este in Bantay, Ilocos Sur province.
He served 11 years in prison and was granted conditional pardon by then President Ferdinand Marcos on Jan. 14, 1981.
Crisologo claimed he received absolute pardon on Jan. 24, 1986, but Zamora’s camp said there were no documents to prove this in the Malacañang Records Office.
“Nothing in the conditional pardon granted to respondent removes his incompetency from running for and holding public office. And without such an express restoration, respondent must be deemed disqualified from being a candidate or holding public office,” Zamora said in her petition.
Petition dismissed
Crisologo said the disqualification case was a rehash of the accusation made by his opponent, lawyer Moises Samson, in the 2004 congressional race.
Samson was the first to question the authenticity of Crisologo’s absolute pardon before the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal after the latter won in Quezon City’s first district.
Crisologo said the petition was dismissed for lack of merit, noting that the absolute pardon he received from Marcos was valid and legitimate.
“They’re just reusing their tactics so the people won’t vote for me, but the people know this is just propaganda. I don’t have anything to worry about, because I know I won’t get disqualified,” he added.