Petitioners seeking to disqualify presidential candidate Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. in the May 2022 polls on Friday, March 4, asked the Commission on Election (Comelec) to resolve the case that they filed as soon as possible.
"Petitioners implore the Honorable Commission to resolve the petition with outmost urgency given its impact on the coming national elections," read the urgent motion of the petitioners led by Margarita Salonga Salandanan.
In their motion they said the Second Division of the Commission still has two of the three original members, who received all submissions on this case, and are therefore competent and equipped to decide and rule on the case without further delay.
"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 decides the appeal before the elections," it read.
"For the foregoing reasons, and considering that the national elections will be conducted on May 9, 2022, it is vital that the petition is resolved as soon as possible," the motion further read.
It was December last year when the petitioners, who are mostly from Ilocos, filed their petition.
In their petition, petitioners said respondent is disqualified to run for or to hold any elective position, much less for the position of Philippine president, for having been found guilty by final judgment of crimes involving "moral turpitude" pursuant to Section 12 of the Omnibus Election Code; for having been found guilty, by final judgment, of a crime that carries the penalty of more than 18 months also pursuant to Sec. 12 of the OEC; for having been actually sentenced to prison correccional and is thereby effectively deprived of his "right ot suffrage" pursuant to Article 43 of the revised penal code in relation to Sec. 2 Article VII of the 1987 Philippine Constitution, and also in view of his conviction for violation of Sec. 45 of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1977 which in itself already carries the accessory penalty of perpetual disqualification from public office pursuant to Sec. 286 of the NIRC of 1977.
Meanwhile, in a press briefing Comelec Acting Chairman Socorro Inting said she will direct the Clerk of the Commission to advice the ponente to fast track the resolution of the said case.