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Ex-Comelec chair Pangarungan on SC-junked DQ pleas vs. Marcos: No more impediments to his assumption
By GISELLE OMBAY,ANNA FELICIA BAJO,GMA NewsFormer Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman Saidamen Pangarungan on Wednesday hailed the Supreme Court’s decision to unanimously junk the petitions seeking to disqualify and cancel the certificate of candidacy of President-elect Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. in the May 2022 elections, saying there are no more hindrances to his assumption.
In a statement, Pangarungan welcomed the high court’s ruling to “finally put to rest questions on the eligibility and validity” of Marcos’ certificate of candidacy and uphold the Comelec En Banc’s resolutions under his watch.
A day after the May 9 polls, the Comelec En Banc came up with the decision denying four appeals seeking to overturn the dismissal of Marcos’ disqualification cases and a petition to have his certificate of candidacy canceled.
“I personally view the Supreme Court’s concurrence to our legal reasoning as another feather in the COMELEC’s proverbial cap for the 2022 National and Local Elections. I am reminded of the en banc meetings where I have laid out my philosophy as regards the COMELEC’s quasi-judicial functions: coupling the sense of urgency with the soundest legal interpretation,” Pangarungan said.
“Because of this, we can now truly say that there are no more impediments to the assumption of President Marcos as President of the Philippines come 30th of June,” he added.
The ex-Comelec official also congratulated Marcos, who is set to hold his inauguration
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“The COMELEC has enabled the conduct of a fair and credible democratic exercise. Actual governance will rest on the President’s shoulders. I send my sincerest hopes that the President-Elect's leadership will uplift the lives of all Filipinos,” Pangarungan said.
SC cognizant of June 30 inauguration
In a separate television interview, Marcos' lawyer, Attorney Estelito Mendoza, said the SC was cognizant of the former senator's historic inauguration on Thursday, June 30, prompting it to release the decision days before the event.
"The Supreme Court takes cognizance of the fact that BBM is going to assume office on June 30," Mendoza told ANC.
Mendoza added that the term of the previous president would be terminated on the same day.
Earlier, Mendoza said if the petitioners would still push through with questioning Marcos' presidency, they could also file a quo warranto before the SC.
According to the 2010 Rules of Presidential Election Tribunal, the quo warranto is a verified petition for quo contesting the election of the president or vice president on the ground of ineligibility or disloyalty to the Republic of the Philippines. —KG, GMA News