Delayed Bongbong disqualification case ruling needs to be investigated –Robredo

Vice President Leni Robredo said on Sunday that the delayed release of  the Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. disqualification case decision should be investigated as it would affect all Filipinos who will vote in Eleksyon 2022.

During her visit to Lingayen, Pangasinan, Robredo said that the claim of outgoing Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner Rowena Guanzon that a senator may be behind the delay on the part of Commissioner Aimee Ferolino was serious.

“Seryoso ‘yung allegations lalo pa kasi mag-eeleksyon and alam natin na ‘yung integrity ng eleksyon, nakasalalay siya, to a very large extent, sa integrity ng Comelec as an institution,” Robredo said.

(The allegations are serious because there will be elections and we know that the integrity of the election depends on the integrity of the Comelec as an institution to a very large extent.)

Guanzon, who voted for Marcos' disqualification, said there had been an "unreasonable delay" on the First Division's decision on the case that was why she decided to her opinion public.

Robredo said that this alone was enough reason for an investigation.

“Sa’kin, kailangan na imbestigahan ano ba ‘yung nangyayaring pag-impluwensya sa pagdedesisyon kasi hindi lang naman dito apektado ‘yung mga parties to the case, pero lahat ng mga Pilipino na boboto sa eleksyon.

(In my opinion, there’s a need to investigate the said influencing on the decision-making of Ferolino because it is not only the parties to the case that are affected but all the Filipinos who will vote in the election.)

Ferolino was a member of the First Division along with Guanzon and Marlon Casquejo. The division was handling the disqualification case with Ferolino the case's ponente.

With Guanzon set to retire on February 2, she believed there was a "conspiracy" to delay the release of the ruling. She called on Ferolino to submit the resolution so that they could vote on it before February 2.

Robredo meanwhile stressed that she did not want any doubts on the Comelec's integrity because it may affect confidence in the vote during the upcoming May 9 polls.

“Ang pinaka-ayaw natin mangyari ‘pag nayuyurakan ‘yung integrity ng institution kasi ‘yun nga eh, ‘yung boses ng tao pinapadaan sa eleksyon and kung hindi buo ‘yung confidence ng tao, apektado tayong lahat,” she added.

(We don't want the integrity of the institution to be trampled. This is because the voice of the people is being heard during the elections and if their confidence is not full, then we are all affected.)

— DVM, GMA News