Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez hits Bongbong Marcos camp’s “misleading” press release.
MANILA, Philippines — Commission on Elections (Comelec) spokesperson James Jimenez on Wednesday flagged as “misleading” a press release (PR) from the camp of former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. that seeks to discredit a petition recently filed against his candidacy for president.
Jimenez was referring to a November 3 press release from Marcos Jr.’s camp stating that “Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez on Wednesday said the disqualification case filed against presidential aspirant Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. yesterday has no clear basis.”
According to Jimenez, the PR was based on his OneNews interview on Tuesday morning. He said that to merit disqualification from holding public office, the conviction should be for a crime committed under moral turpitude and the sentence should be at least 18 months.
Jimenez said in that interview that Marcos “doesn’t meet this criteria” and that “right now, there is no clear case for disqualification.”
However, Jimenez clarified in a Viber message to reporters on Wednesday that at the time of his interview, no complaint was filed against Marcos.
“At the time of our interview, there was no filing against the [former] senator, and therefore what I said could not possibly be construed or framed as referring to that subsequent event,” he said.
“The PR is misleading. The quote was referring to why Senator Marcos hadn’t yet been disqualified despite the fact of his conviction. The original quote should have been taken in the context of the fact that the senator ran for VP (vice president) in 2016. That quote was not intended in any way as a comment on the current petition recently filed,” he explained.
Jimenez was referring to the petition filed on Tuesday urging the Comelec to cancel Marcos’ COC for president in the 2022 elections due to his 1995 conviction in a tax case.
READ: Petition to cancel COC of Bongbong Marcos filed before Comelec
However, Marcos’ camp dismissed the petition as a “predictable nuisance” and “propaganda.”
READ: ‘Propaganda’: Marcos camp dismisses ‘predictable nuisance’ disqualification case
INQUIRER.net has sought comment from Marcos’ camp through his chief of staff Atty. Victor Rodriguez regarding the latest statement of Jimenez, but has yet to receive a response as of posting.