LP confident SC will uphold Comelec ruling on deadline extension
Defeated presidential candidate Mar Roxas’ SOCE. JULLIANE LOVE DE JESUS/INQUIRER.net
The camp of defeated presidential candidate Mar Roxas is confident that the Supreme Court will uphold the ruling of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) granting his request to extend the deadline of the filing of the statement of contributions and expenditures (SOCE).
“I seriously doubt the SC will reverse the Comelec ruling because otherwise, what will happen after that? They will disqualify all winning candidates from LP? That’s unthinkable,” Roxas’ campaign spokesperson and Akbayan Rep. Barry Gutierrez said in an ambush interview on Wednesday.
Gutierrez submitted Roxas’ SOCE at the Comelec office in Manila exactly on the last day of the extension the Comelec gave him and the Liberal Party.
READ: Roxas finally files SOCE
Last June 8, Roxas and LP asked the Comelec for a 14-day extension on the deadline for the filing of the SOCE.
The Comelec en banc’s decision to extend the deadline drew flak, accusing the poll body of giving special treatment to Roxas and LP.
READ: Comelec explains accepting late LP SOCE: Let’s not defeat people’s will
Had the Comelec denied the request, the LP’s winning candidates, from municipal councilors to Vice President-elect Leni Robredo who filed her SOCE on time, will not be able to assume their positions.
“What’s the point? The spirit of the law is full disclosure and transparency. Nagawa namin lahat ’yon (We did all of that). All the documents will be in the hands of Comelec so ano pa ang hinahabol natin (what else are we after)? What’s the harm ditto (here)?” Gutierrez said.
“Ang harm is kung nag-submit ka pero hindi kumpleto (if you had filed an incomplete submission). May kulang, may butas o questions as to the completeness but now sinubmit namin ng buo at sinikap namin na kumpleto. Tingin namin kami ang sumsunod ng maayos sa batas (There were lacking elements or questions as to the completeness, but now, we are submitting in full and we are striving for completeness. We think we have complied with the law),” he said.
On Monday, Atty. Manuelito Luna, nominee for 1-Abilidad Pary-List, and retired soldier Justino Padiernos of the People’s Freedom Party filed a petition for certiorari seeking the nullification of the Comelec’s decision to allow Roxas and the LP to submit SOCEs beyond the deadline.
READ: SC asked to nullify Comelec decision to extend SOCE deadline
Luna and Padiernos said the Comelec en banc gravely abused its discretion when it allowed the extension for the submission of SOCE.
“We’re confident that the Comelec resolution will be upheld,” Gutierrez said. CDG
