Robredo says Comelec ruling on Bongbong DQ case raises more questions

CALAUAN, Laguna— Vice President and presidential candidate Leni Robredo on Friday said the decision of the Commission on Elections First Division to junk the disqualification case against Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr. due to lack of merit raises more questions.

"Mahirap siyang intindihin kasi pag sinabing walang crime...[eh] kasi may conviction na sa RTC (Regional Trial Court) saka sa Court of Appeals. Pag sinabi mong walang enough na batas [para magparusa ng non-filing ng income tax return], magwa-wonder ka bakit naconvict kung wala palang enough na batas," Robredo, also a lawyer, said.

(That decision is difficult to comprehend because she is saying there is no crime and yet there are convictions before the Regional Trial Court and Court of Appeals. You say there are not enough laws punishing it. And we wonder, why is the person convicted if there are not enough laws.)

The ruling of the First Division indicated that Marcos' failure to file income tax returns in 1982 to 1985 was not a crime which involved moral turpitude.

The 41-page ruling penned by Commissioner Aimee Ferolino states that the failure to file tax returns was neither immoral nor did it involve fraud.

Robredo did not comment further.

"It is hard to make further comments because the process is still ongoing. But there are more questions now because of the decision," she said, referring to the plan of the petitioners to appeal the case before the Comelec en banc and even all the way to the Supreme Court.

Whatever the result of the case may be, Robredo said she is out to win the presidential race, regardless of the foe. 

“Aaminin ko sa inyo, from the very start naman 'yung pinaghahandaan nating laban hindi natin tinitingnan ‘yung disqualification, kung meron mang basis ang disqualification, ‘yun ay ibang usapan,” she said.

“But as far as the campaign and as far as the election is concerned, talagang yung pinaghahandaan natin na hanggang dulo maglalaban kami (we are preparing for an ultimate showdown).

Robredo beat Marcos by 263,473 votes in the 2016 vice presidential race.

Meanwhile, senatorial candidate Neri Colmenares said the decision of the Comelec First Division dishonored the legacy of martial law martyrs.

"Allowing Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to run, despite his guilt of tax evasion, spits on the grave of Evelio Javier, who died 36 years ago today, while protecting the dignity of the ballot during the 1986 snap elections. The decision of the COMELEC not only removes legal hurdles and absolves him from previous liabilities but also dishonors the legacy of Javier and other Martial Law martyrs," Colmenares said in a statement.

He said the Comelec en banc  should review and reconsider the decisions of the First Division, considering how the case will affect jurisprudence.

"The law is clear, yet such resolutions distort the meaning of the law. It sets a dangerous precedent that upholds the favoring of allies at the expense of the rule of law," he said.

‘Nabawasan siya ng sakit ng ulo’

Meanwhile, presidential aspirant Manila Mayor Isko Moreno said Comelec's decision was beneficial to Marcos as it would ease his “worries” during the campaign period.

“Good for him, remember we are not enemies. We are just competing with each other. Good for him, nabawasan siya ng sakit ng ulo (it will ease his worries),” Moreno said in a report from “24 Oras” on Friday.

“Mahirap ang pakiramdam ng isang kandidato na maraming kinakaharap na pagsubok,” he added.

(It is difficult for a candidate to face many challenges.)

—AOL, GMA News