Ferdinand “Bongbong’ Marcos Jr.
MANILA, Philippines — A coalition of civil and church groups is urging the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to fast track its resolution of petitions to cancel the candidacy of presidential aspirant and former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
While it stressed that it does not take sides with any of the parties involved, the Halalang Marangal 2022 coalition urged the Comelec “to immediately act on the petition in the spirit of the law.”
The coalition also views with “grave concern” on Marcos’ candidacy “as it creates a bad precedent and a mockery of the election law, as well as the rule of law of the land,” coalition chairman Fr. Antonio Labiao said in a statement on Wednesday.
“In this regard, we call on the Comelec en Banc to fast track the resolution of the petition so as not to create confusion among the electorate,” Labiao said.
The group also urged the Comelec to make sure that the rule of law will prevail.
“The sovereign will of the people should always take priority over political influence to ensure the common good of the country. We, therefore, expect the Comelec to take priority on what is right and just for the country,” Labiao added.
A group of political detainees, human rights advocates, and medical organizations earlier filed at the Comelec a “petition to cancel or deny due course the certificate of candidacy” of Marcos Jr. as his certificate of candidacy allegedly has “multiple false material representations.”
Dr. Rommel Bautista, leading a group of taxpayers also filed a second petition and alleged that Marcos Jr. falsely stated in his COC that he was eligible to run when in fact he had been convicted for tax evasion in 1995 and the conviction became final in 2001.
Marcos, however, said the petition against him is “nothing but trash.”
The poll body has set the preliminary conference on the petitions filed against Marcos Jr. on November 26.