Comelec says previous rulings can be challenged amid Marcos DQ case

Former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. files his certificate of candidacy (COC) for president at the Sofitel Harbor Garden Tent in Pasay City. (INQUIRER.net file photo /Daniza Fernandez)

MANILA, Philippines — Everyone has the right to challenge a previous ruling by the Commission on Elections (Comelec), the poll body’s spokesperson said Thursday.

Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez made the remark when asked about the defense of the camp of presidential aspirant and former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on the petition seeking to cancel his certificate of candidacy (COC) due to his 1995 conviction in a tax case.

Marcos’ camp previously pointed out that he was allowed to run for vice president in 2016 despite his conviction.

“The idea there is everyone has the opportunity to challenge a previous ruling. Even the Supreme Court deals with challenges to their… jurisprudence,” Jimenez said in an interview on ABS-CBN News Channel.

“So if someone feels that they have a new cause of action or if someone feels that they have a new reason to seek the disqualification or maybe they disagree with a previous ruling, then everyone is certainly well within their rights to seek relief from the Comelec,” he added.

“So if someone says na ‘hey, I think you did something wrong here,’ there is, of course, a space to seek redress for that perceived wrong, and that is what is happening here. [If] someone found a reason and thinks they have a reason to seek the disqualification or cancellation of a COC, they will have every right and they will be heard by the Comelec when they bring their case to us,” he further said.

On Monday, a petition was filed before the Comelec seeking to cancel Marcos’ COC for president, citing his conviction in 1995 for his failure to file income tax returns. The petition has been raffled to the Comelec’s second division.  

A second petition seeking to void the candidacy of Marcos was also filed on Monday, echoing the points raised by the first group of petitioners.

gsg