Commission on Elections Commissioner Aimee Ferolino-Ampoloquio on Friday turned the tables on her colleague, fellow First Division member Rowena Guanzon, over the latter’s allegation that there was a delay in the resolution of three disqualification cases against presidential aspirant Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
Ferolino-Ampoloquio belied Guanzon’s claim that there was an “internal agreement” for the First Division to decide on the cases by Jan. 17.
She said it was not possible to resolve the pending cases that quickly since the consolidated petitions were raffled off to the First Division only on Jan. 10.
In her letter to Comelec chairman Sheriff Abas, Ferolino-Ampoloquio described as “appalling” Guanzon’s action to make public her separate opinion in favor of disqualifying Marcos Jr. even before the division has released its ruling.
She said Guanzon’s premature disclosure of her vote appeared to be a move to pressure the First Division into disqualifying Marcos Jr.
“She [Guanzon] also consistently took liberties in telling me to adopt her opinion,” Ferolino said in her letter to Abas.
“It is quite appalling that Commissioner Guanzon was able to draft an opinion when the Ponencia has not yet submitted the resolution and all the case records are in my possession,” she added.
Guanzon, for her part, said Ferolino-Ampoloquio should just release the decision.
“If you [Ferolino-Ampoloquio] released the decision, then we will have no need for this discussion…She has time to write a reply to the Chair but not the resolution/decision,” Guanzon said.
Senate President Vicente Sotto III, for his part, urged Guanzon to name the senator who allegedly was trying to influence the Marcos disqualification cases.
“It’s best that she names the senator. Otherwise, we will all be suspect. If there is proof, I will ask the Committee on Ethics to look into the matter,” Sotto added.
Lawyer Romulo Macalintal recommended punishment against Guanzon for prematurely disclosing her vote to disqualify Marcos Jr. ahead of the First Division’s ruling.
Macalintal—the lead counsel of Vice President Leni Robredo in the electoral protest filed by Marcos against her in 2016—said the Comelec en banc should look into the act of the outgoing commissioner for possible violation on the confidentiality of the poll body’s internal proceedings.
The veteran election lawyer explained that what Guanzon did was unprecedented and first of its kind, stressing that the opinions of Comelec officials remain an opinion and are not yet binding until a decision is fully written and signed.
“Until and unless the decision is released to the public, the individual positions or votes or opinions of the commissioners are confidential,” Macalintal said.
“Since it is highly irregular, Guanzon should be sanctioned by the Comelec en banc for violating the confidentiality of the internal proceedings of the Comelec,” he said.
Guanzon, who is retiring on February 2, is presiding commissioner of the Comelec First Division, of which Ferolino-Ampoloquio is the ponente for the case.
Guanzon earlier challenged the counsel of Marcos Jr. to a debate—but George Briones declined, saying the commissioner herself disclosed they were members of the same fraternity.
“I challenge George Briones of Partido Federal of BBM to a debate on TV. If he thinks he is brighter than me he should agree. The Commission en Banc @COMELEC has no jurisdiction over an administrative complaint against a Commissioner. I am an impeachable officer. You people better study. Let’s debate on TV,” Guanzon said in a Twitter post, adding she may cite the party for contempt for threatening her.
“Since Commissioner Rowena Guanzon disclosed that I am her Sigma Rho Fraternity brother. I respectfully decline her invitation to debate with her. For I firmly believe in our Code of Action which is ‘to give due respect if not love to a Sister Deltan’,” Briones said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Guanzon said the receipt of payment for tax deficiencies presented by the camp of Marcos Jr. was actually for payment for lease rentals
“(The Marcos camp) said they paid their tax deficiencies with the BIR. We looked at their receipt but it was only a photocopy. It said it was a payment for lease rentals,” she said.
“I also gave them several days to produce a certified copy of their receipts. They didn’t submit anything,” she added in Filipino.
Last December, Marcos’ spokesman Vic Rodriguez showed a certification from the Bureau of Internal Revenue that Marcos supposedly paid his tax deficiencies and fines for 1982 to 1985 at the Land Bank of the Philippines.
Guanzon, however, said this was different from the fines at the Regional Trial Court.
“That’s not a payment for Regional Trial Court fines. The RTC has a certification that there has not been any satisfaction of judgment.
That’s where they should have paid the fine. The tax deficiency payment with the BIR is a different matter,” she said.