MANILA (UPDATE) — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has issued summons to presidential aspirant Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos over the petition seeking to cancel his certificate of candidacy (COC).

Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said the poll body issued the summons Thursday.

"Summons was issued yesterday [Thursday], and is expected to be served today. We are awaiting proof of service. Upon receipt of the summons, the respondent will have five days to file an answer," Jimenez told reporters Friday.

After Marcos answers, a "pre-conference" will be set, he said. The parties will then be given 3 days to file their respective final arguments in a memoranda.

• Petition to cancel Marcos Jr's COC raffled off to Comelec's 2nd division

The resolution of the division may be challenged before the commission en banc and further before the Supreme Court.

• Comelec urged to cancel Marcos Jr.'s presidential bid over tax evasion conviction

The Comelec case against Marcos stemmed from the petition filed by Task Force Detainees of PH, KAPATID, Medical Action Group, FIND, PH Alliance of Human Rights Advocates and Balay.

It questioned Marcos' eligibility to run for the country's top job because he has been convicted of tax evasion.

Reacting to the summons, KAPATID urged Comelec to "pave the way for what it should have done a long time ago."

"We hope the Comelec will finally pave the way for what it should have done a long time ago. Do its mandated duty to enforce the law and cancel the falsified certificate of candidacy of a convicted tax evader," KAPATID said in a statement.

The group, established in the 70's during the Marcos dictatorship as a response to the crackdown on political activists, said the dictator's son is one of the "biggest nuisance candidates who have for far too long been allowed to mock our electoral process and twist our history to perpetuate themselves in power."

The Marcos camp has labelled the petition as "nuisance" masterminded by "yellow wannabe political assassins."

• Petisyon kontra sa kandidatura ni Bongbong pakana ng 'yellow assassins': spox