Manila Mayor Isko Moreno and Vice President Leni Robredo. INQUIRER FILE PHOTOS
MANILA, Philippines — The camp of presidential candidate and Vice President Leni Robredo has clarified that the disqualification cases against rival, former senator Bongbong Marcos, was never a consideration for her actions during the campaign season.
Lawyer and Robredo spokesperson Barry Gutierrez said this on Thursday after the Commission on Elections (Comelec) First Division junked the disqualification petition against Marcos for lack of merit.
Gutierrez stressed that Robredo’s campaign, which started on a high note after attracting huge crowds in her tour of Bicol Region, is only focused on winning the May 2022 polls.
“The disqualification was never a consideration. From the time she announced her candidacy, she always intended to achieve victory in the elections,” he said.
“And with Tuesday’s explosive start to her campaign, it’s clear that she’s on track to do just that,” he added.
Meanwhile, Aksyon Demokratiko chairperson Ernest Ramel said that while it would be good news for Marcos, the candidate should just focus on stating his platform — underscoring his penchant for avoiding presidential debates.
Ramel, who chairs the party of presidential candidate Manila Mayor Isko Moreno, said that what Marcos gave out during his proclamation rally are mere motherhood statements.
“That’s good news for the late dictator’s son. However, the people continue to await what his real plans are for the country and for the Filipinos aside from the motherhood statements he delivered in his 15-minute speech during his proclamation rally,” Ramel said in a separate statement.
“His spokesperson may just run out of excuses for him not to attend any of the presidential debates and fora,” he added.
According to Ramel, they believe that Filipinos would get to know that the country needs, for the 2022 elections, a leader who can provide solutions quickly — referring to Moreno’s maxim of Bilis Kilos or quick action.
“We see that eventually people will understand that what they need is ‘Tunay na Solusyon, Mabilis na Aksyon’ amidst these very difficult times. Not more of promises of unity when he actually represents discord, promises without any real ‘pruweba’ and motherhood statements,” he claimed.
Earlier, Comelec spokesperson and Director James Jimenez said that the consolidated disqualification cases against Marcos have been dismissed by the First Division.
“The consolidated petitions of Ilagan v. Marcos Jr., Akbayan v. Marcos Jr., and Mangelen v. Marcos Jr. have been dismissed for lack of merit, by the Comelec’s First Division,” Jimenez said in a tweet.
The disqualification cases included petitions filed by martial law survivors through Bonifacio Ilagan, Akbayan party-list group, and National Commission on Muslim Filipinos Commissioner Abubakar Mangelen.
They sought to disqualify Marcos from running for president because of his past conviction, for failing to file income tax returns from 1982 to 1985 — which petitioners said perpetually disqualifies the former senator from seeking an elective post.
Petitioners can still appeal the decision before the Comelec en banc, and all the way to the Supreme Court.
READ: Comelec’s First Division dismisses Marcos DQ cases for ‘lack of merit’