Guanzon reveals to Sotto identity of senator trying to delay Marcos’ DQ case

Comelec Commissioner Rowena Guanzon. File photo / Screengrab from Comelec website

MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Vicente Sotto III already knows the identity of the senator allegedly behind the delay in the release of the resolution on presidential aspirant Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s disqualification cases, Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner Rowena Guanzon said Tuesday.

Guanzon said she revealed the identity of the senator to Sotto and that they agreed to talk about the matter.

“I already informed Senate President Sotto, so I am just waiting for him to get back to me. We agreed to discuss this matter over the telephone. Let it be in the Senate, where I have protection under privileged communication because you know some of these senators can be heavy-handed and arrogant,” she said in an online press briefing organized by the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines.

“I already named him to Senate President Sotto so the public will just have to wait on that, let’s just focus on Bongbong Marcos,” she added.

Asked about the possible motive of the senator in interfering with the release of the resolution, Guanzon said: There are many motivations for some people. There are motivations for why they do what they do. But obviously, he is favoring Bongbong Marcos. I won’t anymore tell you his name because anyway his wife already knows.”

Guanzon earlier claimed that the senator is influencing Commissioner Aimee Ferolino, the ponente in the disqualification cases, in delaying the resolution so that her vote and the vote of Commissioner Marlon Casquejo will not be counted.

Ferolino, Guanzon, and Casquejo are all members of the Comelec First Division handling the consolidated disqualification cases against Marcos.

Guanzon, who revealed she voted for the disqualification of Marcos for his tax offenses, is set to retire on Wednesday. Casquejo, meanwhile, is set to preside over the Comelec’s Second Division on February 3.

“It’s obvious that Ferolino is doing this so Commissioner Casquejo and I cannot vote. If I were still in Comelec a few more months, I will skin her alive,” said Guanzon.

Guanzon also urged Marcos to issue a statement about the issue, like other lawyers’ organizations and politicians.

“The Philippine Bar Association, my peers in the legal profession, issued a statement. Senator Manny Pacquiao issued a statement, Sotto, VP [Vice President] Leni [Robredo]. It’s only BBM (Marcos’ initials) who is not issuing a statement,” the commissioner noted.

“Mr. Marcos Jr., you should issue a statement, if you did not have a hand in this, sir, you should issue a statement. Because you know, I know the Marcoses are not vindictive. You should issue a statement, Mr. Marcos Jr. because all of these issues might endanger my life,” said Guanzon.

“You know there are people who are very loyal to you and they might, you know how it is, so you should issue a statement also for my protection, because you know I am a friend of your family. You look at the Facebook of Senator Imee Marcos, was I not the one who raised her hand and proclaimed her senator? Because she’s my classmate in the UP College of Law,” Rowena further told Marcos.

JPV