Former senator Bongbong Marcos is facing another disqualification case in his 2022 presidential bid.
The latest petition seeking to disqualify him also insists that the former senator is barred from seeking public office over his 1995 conviction for failure to file income tax returns.
Akbayan First Nominee Perci Cendaña, former Commission on Human Rights Chairperson Etta Rosales, lawyer Byron Bocar of the Institute for Political and Electoral Reforms, Akbayan Youth Chairperson Dr. RJ Naguit, Tition Lao-Manalo and Doris Nuval of Claimants 1081, Jean Enriquez of the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women, and Nice Coronacion of the Sentro ng mga Nagkakaisa at Progresibong Manggagawa filed the petition against Marcos.
This is the fifth petition seeking to remove Marcos from the presidential race.
The camp of Marcos insists that he is qualified to run for president in the 2022 elections.
Estelito Mendoza, the lawyer of Marcos, said in response to the poll body’s summon on his disqualification case based on tax evasion conviction: “Wherefore, it is respectfully prayed that the petition be dismissed. On the matter of hearing the petition, considering that the petition refers to the highest elective position in government and calls for the participation of the people in general, that the petition be heard by face-to-face argument instead of a virtual or video conference,” Mendoza said.
Mendoza said that the petition will show that it is “bereft of any specific allegation of a material representation required under Section 74 of the Omnibus Election Code.”
“It is of judicial notice that the respondent has all the qualifications of a President under Section 2, Article VII of the Constitution and consequently there can be no violation of Section 78 in relation of Section 74 of the Omnibus Election Code upon which a petition such as the one now before the commission,” Mendoza said.
