En banc ruling on Marcos DQ cases out ‘soon’

MANILA – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Friday said it will soon release on the decisions on the motions for reconsiderations (MRs) on the rulings of the First and Second divisions on the disqualification cases filed against presidential aspirant Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.

“We will be deciding it soon. Definitely, the MRs have to be decided before the elections,” poll body acting chairperson Socorro Inting said in a press briefing after the signing of a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with election watchdog Democracy Watch Philippines.

Inting said these MRs have been raffled to a particular Commissioner.

“I believe that this has been raffled to a ponente the identity of which I don’t know yet because this is confidential. We just have to await the release of these MRs,” Inting added.

Petitioners of the disqualification cases which have been consolidated by the former First Division namely: Bonifacio Ilagan, among others, Akbayan and Abubakar Mangelen have filed their respective MRs.

Meanwhile, the petitioners led by Margarita Salandanan of another disqualification case against the former senator urged the Second Division to fast-track the resolution of the case.

“Wherefore, Petitioners most respectfully pray that this Honorable Commission resolves the Petition in this case soonest,” read the urgent motion to resolve filed by the group on Friday.

It added that coming out with a decision at the soonest time will give the Supreme Court time to decide on the appeal before the upcoming polls.

“Furthermore, whatever the decision of the Honorable Commission may be, it is likely that it will be elevated to the Supreme Court. It would be in the interest of the country that the Supreme Court decided the appeal before the elections,” the group added.

In December 2021, the petitioners filed the disqualification case against Marcos Jr., due to his tax case conviction.