Ex-detainees file 3rd protest vs Marcos bid

Former Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — A group of activists imprisoned during martial law has filed a third petition in the Commission on Elections (Comelec) opposing the presidential candidacy of former Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the late dictator’s son and namesake.

Organizers of the Campaign Against the Return of the Marcoses and Martial Law (Carmma) on Wednesday asked the poll body to disqualify Marcos on the grounds that he was barred from running for public office for life due his conviction for tax evasion.

They warned that allowing him to run “would render difficult, if not impossible, any unclaimed human rights reparations, the recovery of the bulk of the ill-gotten wealth plundered by the Marcoses and their cronies during the years in power of the dictator Marcos Sr.”

His candidacy also “might lead to a whitewashing and further proliferation of historical revisionism of the gravely inhumane abuses and extremely grand corruption committed during the Marcos dictatorship,” they said.

According to the petitioners, the Comelec “has no discretion to ignore” the fact that the former senator’s conviction has become final and, under the National Internal Revenue Code, he is disqualified from holding public office or even voting.

“To rule otherwise and to allow the candidacy of a patently disqualified candidate, is not just to disregard an express provision of the law but, in no uncertain terms, [also] reward convicted criminals for the evil and unjust acts they have committed,” they said.

No repeat

The latest petitioners included Carmma conveners Bonifacio Ilagan, former Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo, Bayan chair Carol Araullo, indigenous leader Joanna Cariño, Karapatan chair Elisa Lubi, former Gabriela Rep. Liza Maza, Samahan ng Ex-Detainees Laban sa Detensyon at Aresto vice chair Danilo de la Fuente, urban poor leaders Trinidad Repuno and Carmencita Florentino, Doroteo Abaya Jr. and former Human Rights Victims’ Claims Board member Dr. Erlinda Senturias. They were joined by religious and youth leaders.

“We do not want a repeat, a round two of Marcoses in Malacañang,” said Ocampo, now 83, in a press briefing.

Their lawyer, Howard Calleja, who also represented a second group of petitioners against Marcos, said they filed a petition for disqualification since the period for the filing of petitions to cancel his certificate of candidacy (COC) for president had lapsed.

According to Calleja, their case was not moot although the former senator had been allowed to run and was even elected to various positions despite his tax conviction.

“Perpetual disqualification is a continuing penalty. It does not stop by allowing him to run for office before. It’s due time we bring this issue up,” Calleja said in the briefing.

“The main issue is that he lied in his COC. He committed a violation of the tax code, that is very clear, and that comes with perpetual disqualification,” he stressed.