FILE PHOTO: COMELEC Chairman Andres Bautista
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Grace Poe’s supporters again gathered in front of the COMELEC’s main office in protest of the decision by the 2nd division disqualifying Poe from running for president.
They suspect that the decision is influenced by an outside party that seeks to disqualify the opponents of their candidate.
Partido Manggagawa Chairman Rene Magtubo said, “Ginagamit yung mga institusyon ng gobierno para ma narrow down yung pagpipilian ng taumbayan. So ano ang gusto nila elimination o election?”
(The government institutions are being used to narrow down the choices of the electorate. Do they want election or elimination?)
The poll body refuted the accusation.
COMELEC Chairman Andres Bautista said, “Pagkatapos kaming na-appoint ang aming obligasyon ay sa taumbayan. (No pressure from the Liberal?) No pressure whatsoever.”
(After we where appointed our obligation is now with the people. (no pressure from the liberal?) No pressure whatsoever.)
COMELEC also insists that the poll body has jurisdiction over petitions against the qualification of a candidate.
“Ang jurisdiction ng presidential electoral tribunal sa election returns and qualification of a president only comes into play pagkatapos ng halalan at pagkatapos ng proclamation. Yan ang nakasaad sa ating Saligang Batas. So bago magkahalalan ang isyu na election at qualifications ng isang kandidato ay nasa COMELEC.”
(The jurisdiction of the presidential electoral tribunal on election returns and the qualifications of a president only comes into play after the election and proclamation. That is in the constitution. So before the elections, election issues and qualification of candidates are with the COMELEC.)
Poe’s camp is set to file a motion for reconsideration challenging the ruling of the second division and elevate the case to the Commission En Banc.
However, the senator’s lawyer is planning to ask members of the second division to inhibit themselves once the case reaches the En Banc.
Atty. George Erwin Garcia said, “Im trying to determine kung mayroon bang constitutional violation. Kapag ba nagparticipate na sa division ng COMELEC ay dapat pa rin bang magparticipate sa COMELEC En Banc? Kasi sa aking palagay parang hindi tama yung COMELEC commissioners na nagparticipate sa division ay biglang magpa-participate pa rin sa En Banc; you cannot.”
(I’m trying to determine if there is a constitutional violation when a commissioner who has already participated in the division will still have to participate in the COMELEC En Banc. Because for me it is not proper that you have already participated in the division and you will still participate in the En Banc. You cannot review your own work.)
COMELEC Commissioner Luie Tito Guia said, “Ang matter of inhibition is personal to the commissioners if they feel that they will not be impartial or may bias ganun… So we will decide. But we could not just inhibit ourselves because it is our duty also, its our mandate to resolve election cases.”
(Inhibition is personal to the commissioners if they feel that they will not be impartial or bias. But we could not just inhibit ourselves because it is our duty also. It’s our mandate to resolve election cases.)
Meanwhile, with respect to the disqualification cases against Poe being handled by the 1st division, the parties have already submitted their respective memorandum and the cases will then be submitted for resolution.
However one of the petitioners challenged Poe to prove her claims that the senator’s rivals had a hand in the petitions filed against her candidacy.
Petitioner Antonio Contreras, “Pag hindi mo mapatunayan yun dapat humingi ka ng paumanhin sa akin sapagkat ito prinsipyadong move ito…”
(If you cannot prove it you should issue an apology because this move involves my principle…)
Poe’s camp is confident that the senator will be able to surpass the challenges she is facing before the Commission on Elections. (VICTOR COSARE / UNTV News)
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