Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner Rowena Guanzon challenged on Friday, Jan. 28, Partido Federal ng Pilipinas' (PFP) general counsel to a debate on television and tell her what she violated when she announced her vote to disqualify presidential aspirant Bongbong Marcos Jr.
Guanzon called out lawyer George Briones on her Twitter account and said that if the latter thinks that he is smarter than her, he should accept her challenge.
"Marunong pa kayo sakin eh ako 'tong propesor ng batas. Masyado kayong marunong (You think you know better than me when I'm the law professor. You think you know better)," she said in an interview on GMA News.
She added that the PFP is diverting the issue. PFP is the political party of Marcos Jr. In a statement, it called for the disbarment and forfeiture of retirement benefits and lifetime pension of Guanzon for allegedly prematurely and illegally disclosing her vote against Marcos Jr.
Guanzon, who is a member of the Comelec First Division that is handling the consolidated disqualification cases filed against Marcos Jr. mentioned on Thursday, Jan. 27 that she believes that the decision is deliberately being delayed to discredit her vote which is to disqualify the former senator.
Case ponente
She stated in another tweet that the ponente should release the decision and that the loser files a motion for reconsideration.
The ponente or the decision writer of the case is Commissioner Aimee Ferolino. She said that the delay in the release of the decision seemed unreasonable and that she feels that someone is interfering and is trying to influence the commissioners.
Guanzon, in a seperate GMA interview, stated that a politician is the one pressuring Ferolino. The commissioner has not been in touch with Guanzon.
Pressure on Ferolino
“Iniipit nila diyan kay Commissioner Aimee Ferolino. Pulitiko ito, malaking poderoso ito, kasi hindi naman gagawin ito ni Commissioner Aimee na hindi siya nakasandal sa taong malakas (They are witholding the decision with Commissioner Aimee Ferolino. This is a politician, a big one. She would not do this if it's not someone powerful)," Guanzon said.
The embattled commissioner then referred to a political party "with no presidential candidate" as the one behind the interference.
“Hindi niyo nga kandidato ‘yan si Marcos Jr. Ano ba? Salungat kayo sa partido niyo (Marcos Jr. Is not even a candidate of yours. What's this? Are you against your party?)" she said.
She later mentioned that it's not Marcos Jr.'s sister, Senator Imee Marcos
Three consolidated disqualification cases are being handled by the Comelec First Division. These were filed by Abubakar Mangelen, Akbayan and Bonifacio Ilagan et al.
Tax deficiencies
Guanzon shared that the receipt that was shown to them by Marcos Jr.'s camp were payments for lease rentals
“Ngayon sabi nila nagbayad sila sa Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) ng deficiency tax. Tinignan namin yung resibo nila na photocopy lang naman. Nakalagay payment of lease rentals,” Guanzon said.
(Their camp stated that paid for the tax deficiencies with the BIR. We looked at their receipt which was merely a photocopy. It indicated it was a payment for lease rentals.)
She added that she gave them several days to produce a certified copy but they were not able to submit it.