FILE PHOTO: Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
MANILA, Philippines — A group claiming to be the real officers of the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP) on Thursday filed the sixth case against the candidacy of presidential aspirant Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., saying the issuance of a certificate of nomination and acceptance (Cona) to the son of the late dictator is “unauthorized, unilateral and illegal” since they claim that he is not a member of their group.
The disqualification case, filed by National Commission for Muslim Filipinos Commissioner Abubakar Mangelen, who claims to be the duly-elected chairman of the PFP, said that the Cona issued to Marcos Jr. is “unauthorized, defective, invalid and void.”
Marcos Jr. filed his certificate of candidacy as the standard-bearer and the known chairman of the PFP.
Mangelen said the endorsement by some officers of PFP “came as a big shock and surprise” to him and “substantial number” of members and officers of PFP.
“As a matter of fact, the party officers from Lanao del Norte and other areas who were not consulted nor notified like petitioner of any meeting or convention complained of their replacement as such officers without due process and in contravention of the pertinent provisions one the PFP’s Constitution and by-laws,” Mangelen said in his petition.
This, Mangelen said, made PFP’s endorsement of Marcos Jr as the standard-bearer “inoperative, void and non-existent.”
Mangelen also cited Marcos Jr’s conviction in 1995 for failure to file income tax returns as a reason for disqualification“
“It is a well-considered view of the petitioner that the crime for which respondent was convicted involves moral turpitude that carries with it the accessory penalty of perpetual disqualificatio”,” the petitioner said.
INQUIRER.net contacted the camp of Marcos Jr. for comment, but they have yet to respond as of posting.
Meanwhile, a fifth disqualification case was also filed earlier by the Akbayan Partylist, former Commission on Human Rights Chairperson Etta Rosales, among others.
Marcos is also facing two petitions to cancel his certificate of candidacy, a petition to consider him a nuisance candidate, and another disqualification case.