Comelec Spox Says No Clear Case for the Disqualification of COC Against Bongbong Marcos
The Commission on Election (Comelec) spokesperson said the petition for the disqualification of bid against Bongbong Marcos has no clear basis.
The petition submitted against Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. to have his presidential bid canceled from the Comelec cannot be granted, according to Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez. To be disqualified, a candidate must have been convicted of a crime involving “moral turpitude,” or an offense requiring at least an 18-month prison sentence, Jimenez noted.
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Bongbong, according to Jimenez, does not meet the standards and the exclusion case has no concrete basis. The Comelec’s declaration comes after human rights organizations filed a petition to have the former senator’s Certificate of Candidacy (COC) revoked due to alleged “false material representation” in a 1995 tax dispute.
In response, Marcos’s Chief of Staff Atty. Vic Rodriguez, issued a statement. “We shall address this predictable nuisance Petition at the proper time and forum after we receive the OFFICIAL copy of the same.”
The Marcos’ camp statement added that they will refrain from commenting on their “propaganda.” The petitioners questioned Marcos’ eligibility to run for President in next year’s elections after he paid a Court of Appeals (CA) required fine in 1997 for a tax lawsuit.
“Our camp does NOT engage in gutter politics. Our campaign is about nation-building. For Presidential aspirant Bongbong Marcos, this election is about the future of the Filipino people,” Rodriguez added.
In a separate radio interview also on Wednesday, Marcos said, “Sasagutin na lang namin ito pagdating. Siguro kasama na rin yan sa pulitika. Lalo na yung aming mga kalaban ay imbes na humarap sa eleksyon… kasi siguro natatakot sila sa numero, ididisqualify na lang ako.”
“Pero hindi ako natatakot, hindi ako aatras, patuloy ang lahat ng aking gagawin, hindi ako mag-slide down. Patuloy lang ang aking kandidatura at sa aking mga supporters sa buong Pilipinas, nagpapasalamat ako na hindi nawawala ang inyong tiwala sa akin,” he added.
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