The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has formally released the “separate opinion” of commissioner Rowena Guanzon when it comes to her vote to permanently disqualify former Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos from the 2022 presidential elections.
“Commissioner Rowena V. Guanzon has authorized the distribution of her Separate Opinion in SPA No. 21-212 (DC),” Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez told reporters, Monday.
This morning, Guanzon said she would release this afternoon a copy of her reasons why Bongbong should not be allowed to run next year, something related to the latter’s 1995 conviction when it comes to not filing income tax returns.
“After an assiduous analysis of the arguments of the parties and the evidence on record, I find that Respondent’s repeated and persistent non-filing of income tax returns in 1982, 1983, 1984, and 1985, which resulted in his conviction, constitutes an offense involving moral turpitude,” said presiding commissioner Guanzon in a 24-page document.
“In view of the foregoing, I vote to GRANT the Petitions for Disqualification and declare Respondent FERDINAND R. Marcos III DISQUALIFIED from running for the position of President of the Philippines.”
Comelec releases Guanzon’s separate opinion on Marcos DQ case
The said vote is related to the petition filed by Bonifacio Ilagan along with some Martial Law survivors etc., matter filed before the end of the year 2021.
The Federal Party of the Philippines, the party of the dictator’s son former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr., had earlier demanded that Guanzon be disbarred, stripped of retirement benefits, and lifetime pension for publicizing her vote.
It may be recalled that Guanzon said that the issuance of the verdict on Marcos was “unreasonable,” especially since it was agreed to release it on January 17. He also recently said that he will reveal today the name of the politician behind the delay in promulgation.
In a resolution, Comelec’s second division said Marcos’ representations in his certificate of candidacy, which the petitioners are questioning, are “not false.” The petitioners insisted that the son of dictator Ferdinand Marcos’ tax conviction in the 1990s should disqualify him from running for public office.
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