Presidential aspirant Vice President Leni Robredo on Sunday, Jan. 30, called for an investigation into the allegations made by Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner Rowena Guanzon that a senator was meddling into the disqualification case of former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.

Calling them “serious allegations,” Robredo said that the integrity of the elections is hinged “to a very large extent” to the integrity of the poll body.
“So, sa akin, kailangan na imbestigahan ano ba ‘yung nangyayaring pag-impluwensya sa pagdedesisyon kasi hindi lang naman dito apektado ‘yung mga (for me, we need to investigate what happens to influencing the decision because this will not only affect the) parties to the case, pero lahat na mga Pilipino na boboto sa eleksyon (but all Filipinos who will vote in the elections),” she told reporters on the sidelines of her Swab Cab initiative in Lingayen, Pangasinan.
The Vice President stressed her opposition to the poll body losing its reputation and integrity.
“Kung hindi buo ‘yung confidence ng tao, apektado tayo lahat (If the confidence of the people isn’t whole, we are all affected),” she said.
The disqualification cases against Marcos are pending before the Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) first division, of which Guanzon is the presiding commissioner.
The fiery commissioner revealed that she voted to disqualify Marcos and asked the commissioner-ponente to release the decision of the first division before her retirement on Feb. 2.
READ: Guanzon announces vote to disqualify Marcos Jr.; says someone powerful behind decision delay
Robredo also said that a senator is meddling into the case, which is the cause of the delay.
The decision was supposed to be released on Jan. 17, according to Guanzon, but this was disputed by Commissioner Aimee Ferolino. The ponente-commissioner said there was no delay in the process, despite the fact that her lawyers contracted COVID-19.
Earlier cases against Marcos—one to declare him a nuisance candidate and another to cancel his Certificate of Candidacy (COC)—were already junked by the poll body’s second division.