Akbayan asks Comelec to already resolve BBM DQ case
The Akbayan Partylist on Monday, March 21, asked the Commission on Elections (Comelec) en banc to already release its decision on their disqualification case against presidential candidate Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.
In a letter addressed to the en banc, Akbayan said they see no reason for the Comelec to further delay the resolution of the case, especially that the membership of en banc is now complete.
"Any further delay is already a gross disservice to the voting public and our electoral system and favors Marcos Jr's grand fakery," the group said.
"If this is not resolved before the election, this could rob many Filipinos of the ability to choose from a genuinely qualified list of candidates, and completely contaminate and debase their votes," added Akbayan.
Akbayan said Marcos should be disqualified from running for the Presidency as he was convicted of tax evasion while he served as Governor of Ilocos.
"The penalties for his crime clearly state that he should be disqualified from holding public office. This alone is reason enough for the Comelec to disqualify Marcos Jr," the group said.
It added that the Bureau of Internal Revenue's (BIR) confirmation that the Marcos family has P203 billion in unsettled estate tax liabilities makes the call for Marcos Jr's disqualification more urgent and compelling.
"The Comelec has no other recourse but to disqualify Bongbong Marcos. Its decision will go a long way in ensuring that the public not only chooses wisely, but that it does so based on the rule of law and the integrity of our electoral democracy," said Akbayan.
"Any worthwhile vision for our people should rest only on the foundation of fact and truth. Your decision should justify our faith in these values," it added.
"It is our fervent hope that you will rise to the occasion," Akbayan said.
It was last month when the Comelec First Division dismissed the petition for disqualification of Marcos filed by Akbayan due to its "lack of merit." Akbayan later appealed the decision.