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Ferdinand Patinio
MANILA – Commission on Elections (Comelec) First Division presiding Commissioner Rowena Guanzon on Thursday said she voted to approve the petitions seeking to disqualify presidential aspirant Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
In an interview with GMA-7, Guanzon said her dissenting opinion was to disqualify Marcos, a former senator and son of former President Ferdinand Marcos.
“That's why it's all happening because my vote is DQ [disqualified] Marcos Jr. I think, there is moral turpitude really based on evidence on the law. There is, I will not keep it a secret, that is the reason why all of these things are happening,” she said.
Guanzon added that she submitted her opinion on the case to the two other commissioners of the First Division, Marlon Casquejo and Aimee Ferolino and the rest of the Commission en banc.
“I already said that, the reason is because the vote is to DQ. To knock out my vote, they think they can invalidate it by releasing the resolution of the ponencia after I retire, which cannot happen because I already submitted my separate opinion to all of them including the chair and the Commissioners,” she said.
“That should already be on the record that I voted already. My vote should be counted and considered by the next presiding Commissioner after me,” Guanzon added.
She said she received information that there are efforts to influence the other officials.
“The delay seems unreasonable. My guess is that someone is interfering, someone is interfering, some people are trying to influence the commissioners, that’s what I don’t want,” Guanzon said.
“I am appealing to them, don't interfere so that the ponente can release the resolution tomorrow or at the latest which is actually Monday because it is the last day,” she said.
Guanzon is retiring on February 2, together with Chairman Sheriff Abas and Commissioner Antonio Kho Jr.
Meanwhile, Marcos’ chief of staff, lawyer Vic Rodriguez, said they will wait for the final ruling of the Division to come out.
“Until then any statement made are all speculative,” Rodriguez said in a statement. (PNA)
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