Charles Teves
Commission on Elections (COMELEC) commissioner Aimee Ferolino denied any allegations that she’s delaying the ruling on presidential aspirant Bongbong Marcos’s disqualification cases.
In a memorandum produced on Monday, Ferolino responded to commissioner Rowena Guanzon’s claim.
“With all due respect, there is nothing to explain because I do not submit to your pronouncement that there is a delay in the release of my Ponencia on the Marcos cases.
“While you have the privilege and the liberty to take down your posts and correct it, I am not afforded the same opportunity should I release a flawed resolution, especially when it has already been promulgated.”
The reason why a resolution hasn’t come out yet after 15 days is that she’s reviewing the three consolidated cases.
“In all that I do, I take into consideration the timelines and the rules, I see to it that I perform my duty within the bounds of the law.
“The only reason for the unavailability of the resolution after fifteen days is that I am reviewing three consolidated cases among others thoroughly to craft an objective resolution,” she furthered.
Ferolino accused Guanzon of “conditioning” the public’s mind into believing that there is a delay.
“As a co-equal member of this Commission, I am asking you to please stop conditioning the minds of the people that there is a delay because there is none.”
She noted that the Second Division took a month to promulgate a resolution on the other cases.
“More importantly, I am asking you to spare the Commission from all these controversies because you are destroying the credibility of the agency which you claimed to have previously served with integrity and candor,” she added
However, netizens aren’t buying whatever Ferolino is selling.
She hails from Davao and Marcos was recently in the city, prompting the public to think that his camp is trying to influence her decision.
#Ferolino naninilbihan ka ba sa Sambayanang Pilipino o dun lamang sa nag appoint sa’yo? pic.twitter.com/c73qlS9O50
— bituin escalante (@gobituin) January 31, 2022
https://twitter.com/ohitsmiko/status/1487976220675702785?s=20&t=wdQNfUzzXSdubjNZngzzow
#Ferolino justice delayed justice denied! Ilabas mo na ang dapat ilabas!
— Roque Santos (@roxsantos) January 31, 2022
Daming time gumawa ng memo pero hindi mailabas-labas ang resolution😶 https://t.co/hNiB1cKMKE
— Arshie Larga (@Arshiethromycin) January 31, 2022
OMG who made this #IStandWithGuanzon pic.twitter.com/RFdtrFljiG
— Claudiopoi #StopKillingPalestinians!!! 🇵🇸 (@claudiopoy) January 31, 2022
Ferolino herself said Jan 14 it was submitted for resolution. It was due last Saturday. So late na talaga kung di submitted today. If nothing else, common courtesy to a co-equal commissioner and to the electorate requires that you ensure your colleague's vote is counted.
— Apat Lima (@ipatluna) January 31, 2022
FEROLINO: Guanzon is trying hard to persuade me to her direction.
'Pag sinabi mong pinipilit ka niyang pumanig sa direksyon niya, ibig sabihin salungat ka.
Meaning, may desisyon ka na. Meaning, dinedelay mo lang talaga.
— Ogie Rosa (@ogie_rosa) January 31, 2022
Guanzon voted to disqualify Marcos simply because the former senator committed a crime of moral turpitude, which is a ground for disqualification under the Omnibus Election Code.
“For decades, the government was deprived of the taxes which respondent failed to pay. In a very real sense, respondent’s failure to file his ITRs, which in turn led to the belated discovery of deficiency taxes, had a deleterious effect to public interest,” Guanzon recently wrote.
Marcos failed to file his income tax returns (ITRs) from 1982 to 1985, which Guanzon says shows a “serious defect in one’s moral fiber.”
