Hiniling ng Akbayan party-list nitong Pebrero 15 sa Commission on Elections (Comelec) na muling isaalang-alang ang desisyon nitong pagbasura sa kanilang petisyon na i-disqualify si presidential aspirant Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. para sa parating sa May 9 elections.
Sa 16 na pahinang motion for reconsideration (MR), nanawagan ang Akbayan chairperson emeritus Etta Rosales, First Nominee Percival Cendaña, at Second Nominee Dr. RJ Naguit sa Comelec en banc na baligtarin ang desisyon ng First Division nito at isama ang mga puntos na itinaas ng retiradong Commissioner Rowena Guanzon sa kanyang hiwalay na opinyon sa deliberasyon ng kaso.
“Wherefore, the Petitioners respectfully pray that the Resolution dated 10 February 2022 of the Former First Division of this Honorable Commission be set aside and that the instant Petition for Disqualification be granted,” pahayag ng Akbayan sa kanilang MR.
Sinabi ni Cendaña na ipaglalaban nila ang kaso hanggang sa matapos.
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Pahayag ni Cendaña, "The fight is far from over. Bongbong cannot just sweep this under the rug. His tax evasion conviction and his continuing attempts to deceive the public are stains that won’t wash away. These will haunt him throughout the campaign. We will pursue this to the end and ensure a just conclusion to the case."
Iginiit din ng mga petitioner na ang desisyon ng First Division ay maaaring walang bisa at maaaring lumabag sa sarili nitong mga patakaran noong naglabas ito ng desisyon na may dalawang aktibong komisyoner lamang.
“The Comelec's rules provide that a Division shall be composed of three commissioners. As such, the decision issued on the petitions may be void as it was issued by a Division that was not validly constituted, there being only two commissioners left. Had they issued the resolution when the Division was still validly constituted by three Commissioners, then it would have been a valid resolution," ani Cendaña.
Dagdag pa ni Cendaña na ang resolusyon ng First Division noong Pebrero 10 ay walang bisa dahil hindi ito inilabas ng "a validly-constituted Division."
“Since there were only two Commissioners in the so-called ‘First Division’ or the so-called ‘Former First Division’ there clearly was no validly-constituted Division of the Comelec, to begin with. Consequently, the so-called ‘Resolution’ dated 10 February 2022 should not be treated as one that is validly issued by the Comelec. It is nothing more than a document issued by two Commissioners, but certainly not a Resolution or Decision that should be treated as having been issued by the Comelec."
Nanawagan din ang grupo kay Commissioner Aimee Ferolino, ang ponente ng desisyon noong Pebrero 10, na pigilan ang sarili sa mga deliberasyon ng en banc dahil ang pagkakasangkot niya sa mga seryosong akusasyon ni dating Commissioner Rowena Guanzon ay nagpapahina sa kanyang kredibilidad at integridad.
Samantala, hiniling din ng mga petitioner na kinakatawan ni Bonifacio Ilagan sa Comelec en banc na baligtarin ang desisyon ng First Division.
“Wherefore, the Petitioners respectfully pray reconsideration and for the following reliefs: 1. Reversing the Resolution dated 10 February 2022; 2. Disqualify respondent Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. as candidate for President of the Republic of the Philippines in the 09 May 2022 National and Local Elections."
Kasabay nito, iginiit ng mga petitioner na nagkamali ang dibisyon nang magdesisyon na ang hindi pag-file ng income tax returns sa loob ng apat na magkakasunod na taon ay hindi likas na mali at hindi nagsasangkot ng moral turpitude.
“In justifying its Resolution, the Honorable First Division opined that failure to file tax returns is not inherently wrong in the absence of a law punishing it, and that it is only through the enactment of the tax code that it became punishable. It was further ruled that since the tax code only provided a penalty of fine, it is not so grave of an offense. With due respect to the Honorable Commission, it is submitted that it is the repeated, deliberate, willful, and intentional violation of the tax code that makes such violation a crime involving moral turpitude."
Idinagdag nila na anuman ang parusa na ipinataw ng korte, ang paglabag sa Presidential Decree 1994 na nilagdaan noong 1985 ay may kasamang parusa ng perpetual disqualification mula sa pagtakbo para sa pampublikong opisina.
“This fact is amplified by the respondent convicted candidate Marcos, Jr.'s admission that he has not satisfied the payment of penalties imposed by the Court when he admitted that he has no evidence of paying the fines before the Regional Trial Court of Quezon City Branch 105."
Matatandaan na noong Lunes, Pebrero 14, isa pang petitioner na si Abubakar Mangelen ang naghain ng kanyang MR sa tatlong disqualification petition na pinagsama ng dibisyon.
