Retiring Election Commissioner Rowena Guanzon has told two persons the identity of a senator supposedly meddling and delaying the release of the poll body’s judgment on the consolidated disqualification cases of presidential aspirant Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. – the senator’s wife and Senate President Vicente Sotto III.
The 64-year-old Guanzon, set to retire today along with Commission on Elections Chairman Sheriff Abas, earlier told some members of the media she voted in what was announced as her: “dissenting opinion” to disqualify the survey front-running 64-year-old Marcos.
Guanzon said the senator, whom she did not identify, influenced colleague Aimee Ferolino-Ampoloquio into delaying the ponente or majority resolution on the consolidated petitions all based on the 1995 tax evasion conviction of Marcos Jr., which was appealed to the Court of Appeals.
“Anybody from any law school can write a resolution in 15 days. I don’t know why (Ferolino) cannot because she’s the one who is under influence and she’s acting in conspiracy to make sure that they defeat my vote,” said Guanzon, presiding commissioner of the Comelec First Division also made up of Ferolino and Marlon Casquejo.
The retiring commissioner said she already told the wife of the unidentified senator the situation with Marcos Jr.
Sotto had said he already knew who the senator was, but declined to name him while waiting for identification by Guanzon, who said she would cooperate with the legislature if she would be subpoenaed by the chamber.
“I will tell them when I get there (Senate). The important thing is I am doing this in the nation’s interest. On February 3, I will be defenseless. I will be a private citizen… If the senators feel they are alluded to, they should tell the Senate President to subpoena me.”
“I will not name the senator here because his wife already knows. I was told last night that his wife already knows and then I already told the person in authority,” Guanzon told ABS-CBN News Channel’s Headstart when asked about the identity of the senator.
“It’s enough for me that his wife already knows and there’s going to be a war in his household,” she added.
“Commissioner Ferolino-Ampoloquio, lacking in experience in practice of law, was nominated and strongly supported by at least one senator,” Guanzon said.
“That’s already on record, that she will not act like this if it’s not (for) that senator who will order her because they’re very close since they were both in Davao… I said I will release my separate opinion and I will name the senator, and I named him (senator) to a person in authority.”
Asked if she would file a case against the senator, Guanzon replied: “No, his wife is already angry at him. It’s already viral. So that’s
his problem. Let us focus on Bongbong Marcos as a weak leader. Let’s focus on Bongbong Marcos’ moral turpitude.”
Guanzon also appealed to the senator in question not to meddle in the Comelec’s handling of the disqualification petitions since the matter might still be elevated to the Supreme Court.
At the same time, Guanzon said Ferolino might face an impeachment complaint for violating the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act while handling the consolidated disqualification cases against Marcos.
Guanzon made the warning in a television interview in reply to questions on the possibility of facing defamation charges over her recent accusations against Ferolino.
“She should be afraid of me. I might file an impeachment complaint against her for violation of Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act,”
Guanzon said in an interview on ANC.
“Do not threaten me with libel suits because I was a professor of law and a practicing lawyer for more than 25 years. You can sue me
anywhere in the country,” she added.
Ferolino had said the three consolidated petitions were raffled to her office only on Jan. 10, and they received the evidence and other
records related to the cases only on Jan. 14.
She denied there was a delay in the release of her ponencia on the Marcos cases, saying she was “judiciously scrutinizing all the
attached evidence.”
Guanzon said she and Ampoloquio should resign together, adding that Casquejo was probably being suspected of also voting in favor of the disqualification petitions.
“That’s why I have to come out in the public and inform the people of what’s happening inside Comelec, because there’s interference and
they’re using Ampoloquio as their soldier.”
She disclosed that Casquejo was set to become presiding commissioner of the Second Division on Thursday after her retirement, replacing
Commissioner Socorro Inting.
As Abas’ term is also ending Wednesday, Inting will serve as acting chair of the poll body, based on protocol, added Guanzon. She will
also become presiding commissioner of the First Division.
Inting penned a ruling of the Second Division last Jan. 17 that junked a petition for the Comelec to cancel Marcos’ certificate of candidacy
over his tax evasion conviction., with Division members Commissioners Rey Bulay and Antonio Kho Jr. concurring in the decision.
Guanzon also urged Marcos to issue a statement about the issue, like other lawyers’ organizations and politicians.
“The Philippine Bar Association, my peers in the legal profession, issued a statement. Senator Manny Pacquiao issued a statement, Sotto, VP [Vice President] Leni [Robredo]. It’s only BBM (Marcos’ initials) who is not issuing a statement,” the commissioner noted.
“Mr. Marcos Jr., you should issue a statement, if you did not have a hand in this, sir, you should issue a statement. Because you know, I know the Marcoses are not vindictive. You should issue a statement, Mr. Marcos Jr. because all of these issues might endanger my life,”
said Guanzon.
“You know there are people who are very loyal to you, and they might, you know how it is, so you should issue a statement also for my protection, because you know I am a friend of your family. You look at the Facebook of Senator Imee Marcos, was I not the one who raised her hand and proclaimed her senator? Because she’s my classmate in the UP College of Law,” Guanzon told Marcos.
Guanzon called on Abas to initiate and resolve the issue of delay in the release of decision on the disqualification petitions against
Marcos and noted there was a “leadership problem” in the Comelec.
Initially, Guanzon said there was an executive session that Abas called to discuss the issue on the delay, but Guanzon added Ferolino
did not attend.
In a memorandum addressed to Guanzon on Monday, Ferolino accused the senior poll commissioner of conditioning the mind of the public, maintaining that there was no delay in the resolution of the disqualification cases against Marcos.
On Tuesday morning, Guanzon said the delay in the release of the resolution was also meant to block Commissioner Marlon Casquejo’s vote. There was no comment from Casquejo.
Meanwhile, some militant groups Tuesday urged the Comelec to release the decision on the disqualification case against Marcos.
The Campaign Against the Return of the Marcoses and Martial Law was alarmed by Guanzon’s revelation that a political figure was trying to influence the poll body regarding Marcos’ case.
“Commissioner Guanzon’s vote to disqualify Marcos Jr. is a vote for truth, justice, and integrity — an assertion of facts that a shameless liar and convicted criminal must not be allowed to run for any public post, especially the highest and most powerful position in the land.
To allow such is a mockery of our elections, our democracy, and our history,” the group said.