Groups submit statement of support for petition to cancel Bongbong Marcos' COC

Civil society organizations and concerned citizens on Wednesday submitted a statement of support for the petition seeking to cancel former senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr.'s certificate of candidacy (COC) for president in the 2022 polls before the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

The statement of support, which included at least 15,000 signatures, was for the November 2 petition filed by Fr. Christian Buenafe and five others on the basis of the former senator's failure to file income tax returns several times from 1982 to 1985.

The Buenafe petition argues that the convictions against Marcos, Jr. carry a penalty of perpetual disqualification from public office, among others, since the violation was committed when he was the governor of Ilocos Norte from 1982 to 1985.

Section 252 of the Tax Code, on the other hand, provides that the maximum penalty prescribed for the offense of violating Tax Code for public officials and employees is dismissal from public service and perpetual disqualification from holding any public office.

"We call on the Commission to exercise its constitutional mandate and favorably resolve the petition. The facts and the law, as borne out by the answer and subsequent submissions of respondent Marcos, Jr., lead to no other conclusion," the groups said in a letter to Comelec chairman Sheriff Abas.

"May truth, justice, and the rule of law prevail," they added.

The groups include:

• Nagkaisang Tugon Alumni (UP)
• WOMEN2022
• Manindigan Na!
• US Filipinos for Good Governance
• Samasa Alumni Association, Inc., UP
• EveryWoman
• Psychologists 2022, and
• Alliance of Women for Action Towards Reform.

Marcos, Jr., son of the late dictator President Ferdinand Marcos, is facing at least seven petitions seeking to cancel his COC in the 2022 race. His camp has dismissed these petitions as nuisance and baseless.

Lawyer Victor Rodriguez, Marcos, Jr.'s spokesperson, maintained that Bongbong is paying his taxes as he dismissed the statement of support as a stunt.

"Of course, everybody wants everyone to pay his or her taxes as what Bongbong Marcos had done and is doing all the years as a taxpayer. But here comes another cheap poIitical stunt by people motivated by hate and extreme negativity who tried to deceive the public and the Comelec with their lies that Marcos has not paid his 1982-1985 income tax when in fact he did," Rodriguez said.

"Had they cared to equip themselves with even just a little comprehension of the factual and legal circumstances surrounding the matter, this group would not have allowed the forces behind this nuisance petition to use them as pawns," he added.

In an email to GMA News, the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 105 earlier said that it has no record of Marcos Jr. paying taxes and penalties in connection with his failure to file tax returns between 1982 and 1985.

"We have no record of payment of the taxes and penalties due," the court's email read.

Marcos, Jr. is the standard bearer of Partido Federal ng Pilipinas and his running mate is Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, daughter of President Rodrigo Duterte.—AOL, GMA News