Presidential aspirant Bongbong Marcos Jr. visits Meycauayan, Bulacan as part of the campaign trail on March 8, 2022. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News
MANILA — One set of petitioners seeking to disqualify presidential candidate Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr. on Friday pressed again the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to finally rule on their case, saying the "undue delay" can put to question the integrity of the poll body.
"This undue delay in resolving the instant case despite the repeated emphasis on its transcendental importance, opens to question and speculation the integrity and competence of the Honorable Commission to carry out its Constitutional mandate," said the petitioners.
The case, filed by Ilocano group Pudno Nga Ilocano represented by Christian Monsod, has been pending before the Comelec 2nd Division since January 17, when both parties submitted their respective memoranda.
This is the second time Pudno Nga Ilokano asked the Comelec to fast-track the resolution of their case, filed last Dec. 2020.
Pudno Nga Ilocano is asking the Comelec to disqualify the late dictator’s son and namesake, citing his tax evasion conviction that supposedly made him ineligible for public office.
In their second Extremely Urgent Motion, petitioners warned of the "complications and chaos that would result if the votes cast for Respondent are included in the counting and in the canvassing before a possible decision rendering him disqualified to run for President is promulgated."
The country is set to hold its national elections in a month or on May 9.
Petitioners need rulings from the division and en banc before they can elevate the case before the Supreme Court, which is the final arbiter of the case.
"Petitioners are despondent and downhearted that the Honorable Commission does not comply with its own rule that petitions for disqualification shall be decided summarily, despite the serious and adverse consequences that its late resolution of the issues in the instant Petition may have on the country’s future," petitioners said.
Comelec last month said the resolution of all anti-Marcos cases would be done the "latest would be third week of April."
The presidential bid of Marcos, the survey frontrunner, is considered so far the most legally-contested in the country's recent election history.
His camp has repeatedly said that all the cases against him are "political trash," lodged by "political assassins," intended to block his presidential bid
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