Diniskuwalipika ng Commission on Elections (Comelec) si Mario Joel Reyes bilang kandidato sa pagka-gobernador ng Palawan sa katatapos na May 2022 National and Local Elections (NLE).
Natalo ni Palawan Governor Victorino Dennis Socrates si Reyes sa nasabing halalan.
Gayunman, sa ipinalabas na resolusyon nitong Huwebes ng hapon, sinabi ng Comelec Second Division na bagamat natalo sa gubernatorial race si Reyes, hindi maaaring tratuhin na lamang na "moot and academic" ang kaso nito.
“Reyes was defeated in the gubernatorial race in the recently concluded elections. However, the Comelec Second Division deemed it proper not to simply treat the case as moot and academic, citing that ‘the Supreme Court emphasized that a disqualification case still presents a justiciable issue which the Comelec should resolve instead of merely declaring that the disqualification case has become moot and academic,’” pahayag ng Comelec.
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Anang Comelec, ang pagdiskuwalipika kay Reyes ay bunsod na rin ng inihaing petition for disqualification nina Nasir Radjudin Miranda at Mohammad Vinarao Asgal.
Sa nasabing petisyon, iginiit nina Miranda at Asgal na hindi maaaring kumandidato si Reyes matapos siyang i-convict ng Sandiganbayan sa ilalim ng under Section 3(e) ng Republic Act No. 3019 o The Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, at pagiging fugitive from justice niya sa ilalim ng under Section 40 (e) ng RA. No. 7160 o The Local Government Code of 1991.
Anang Comelec Second Division, si Reyes ay isang escaped prisoner at fugitive from justice dahil sa kinakaharap na kasong pagpatay sa broadcaster at environmentalist na si Gerry Ortega.
