Comelec insists it acted swiftly on suits vs. Marcos candidacy

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) acted swiftly on the disqualification cases which have been filed against presidential frontrunner Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., 

Thus, said acting Comelec spokesman Rex Laudiangco when asked about the Asian Network for Free Elections' (ANFREL) interim statement expressing "regrets" on the delays in addressing the petitions against Marcos.

Laudiangco said that there were numerous petitions which took time before getting resolved.

"Para ipaintindi na lang natin sa lahat, it's not a single case. These are four cases filed kaya hindi mo siya mae-expect na ganon kabilis. Secondly, 'yung filing niya talaga aabutin siya e," Laudiangco told GMA News Online.

"The period for the filing of the disqualification cases under Comelec rules, mafa-file mo lang siya on a certain number of days from the filing of the [Certificates of Candidacy]," he added.

"At yung certain number of days na 'yon coincides with the preparations of the elections. You have to conduct hearings, you give them time to submit their position papers and memoranda," Laudiangco said.

(To explain, it's not a single case. These are four cases filed. That's why you cannot expect these to be resolved quickly. Secondly, the filing of these cases would take time. The period for the filing of the disqualification cases under Comelec rules, you can file it on a certain number of days from the filing of the COCs and the certain number of days, it coincides with the preparations of the elections. You have to conduct hearings, you give them time to submit their position papers and memoranda.)

"Kaya nga sa akin napakabilis po nitong na-resolve. In fact, kita niyo hinabol, instead na kumbaga na-proclaim na, ganyan, tiyaka lalabas," Inilabas siya, what?" Laudianco said.

"Mabilis naman nailabas at sinunod naman ni [Comelec] Chairman [Saidamen] Pangarungan 'yung commitment niya na Tuesday it will be promulgated, tumupad po si Chairman Pangarungan, nilabas niya po on Tuesday," he added.

(For me, the cases were resolved swiftly. In fact, we tried to resolve it before he was proclaimed. We released it immediately and Chairman Pangarungan was true to his commitment that the decision will be promulgated on Tuesday.)

In their statement, ANFREL lamented the timing of the release of the decision on the disqualification cases against Marcos.

"Two and half months between issuing rulings on such important issues in both the first instance and the appeal is not appropriate in the midst of an election cycle, even more so given that the ruling on the appeals came out the day following Election Day," ANFREL said in its statement.

On Tuesday or a day after the Election Day, the Comelec denied four appeals seeking to overturn the dismissal of presidential candidate Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.'s disqualification cases and a petition to have his certificate of candidacy cancelled.

On Thursday, the poll body released the decision denying the motion appealing the junking of the petition to declare Marcos as a nuisance candidate in the 2022 presidential elections.

The Comelec decisions may be appealed before the Supreme Court.

As of May 12, 5:47 p.m., Marcos leads the partial, unofficial tally for the presidential race with 31,104,084 votes.  —NB, GMA News