Comelec still has no decision on Duterte substitution

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is still deliberating on the validity of the substitution move of presidential aspirant and Davao City mayor Rodrigo Duterte.

“On the matter regarding Mayor Duterte, again, the en banc is continuing to deliberate on the issue of substitution,” Comelec chair Andres Bautista told reporters at a press briefing on Tuesday.

He said that the Comelec’s First Division was supposed to hold a hearing on the disqualification case filed by broadcaster Ruben Castor against Duterte and former Partido Demokratiko Pilipino- Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) Martin Diño on Wednesday.

READ: Duterte dissuades supporters from holding vigils, protests over disqualification case

However, Castor and his counsel did not appear in Tuesday’s hearing where the marking of evidence was supposed to be conducted. Due to their no-show, Duterte’s camp submitted the petition for resolution.

“Alam ko, tomorrow (Wednesday) magdi-deliberate ang First Division (I know that tomorrow, First Division will deliberate), this is regarding the Castor case. After which, the en banc will continue to deliberate on its action with respect to the substitution,” Bautista said.

The poll body chair said that aside from ruling on the Duterte case, they still have to decide on motions for reconsideration filed by Senator Grace Poe and other political aspirants and motions for substitution filed by local candidates.

READ: Decision on Poe DQ case deferred

With the need to decide on these cases, Comelec said that it has moved the release of the list of the official candidates for 2016 polls to December 23. CDG