Commission on Elections (COMELEC) Commissioner Rowena Guanzon voted for the disqualification (DQ) of presidential aspirant Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., she revealed on Thursday, while questioning why the resolution over the case was taking too long.
"Kaya nga ito nangyayari lahat, dahil ang boto ko is DQ si Marcos Jr. So tingin ko may moral turpitude talaga based on evidence and the law," she told GMA News in an exclusive interview.
(This is why this is all happening because my vote is to disqualify Marcos Jr. So I think there really is moral turpitude based on evidence and the law.)
Guanzon presided over the preliminary hearing on the three disqualification cases against Marcos Jr., which were all consolidated to have a joint decision.
The three petitions were filed by martial law survivors, represented by Bonifacio Ilagan; Akbayan party; and the faction of Partido Federal ng Pilipinas, represented by Abubakar Mangalen.
Guanzon said the COMELEC 1st Division was supposed to promulgate its resolution on the case on or before January 17, but it has been delayed after COVID-19 hit the office of one of the commissioners handling the case.
'Unreasonable' delay
According to Guanzon, however, it appears that an external party is interfering with the release of the resolution because the delay was taking too long.
She said they could be waiting for her retirement on February 2 before releasing the resolution in a bid to invalidate her vote.
"So to knockout my vote, they think they can invalidate it, by releasing the resolution of the ponente after I retire which cannot happen because I already submitted my separate opinion to all of them, including the chair and all the commissioner," she said.
"That should already be on the record, that I voted already, my vote should be counted in considered by the next presiding commissioner after me."
She said the delay has been "unreasonable," adding that even cases filed after the Marcos one were already released.
"Parang unreasonable na 'yung delay, ang kutob ko talaga may nakikialam na. Some people are trying to influence the commissioner, yun ang ayaw ko," she said.
(The delay seems unreasonable. My hunch is someone is already interfering. Some people are trying to influence the commissioner, which is what I don’t like.)
"Ayoko po talagang bigyan sana ng malisya yung ponente pero sinabi nga ng isang commissioner kahapon sa meeting namin, eh bakit yung ibang na-raffle after pa sa Marcos nailabas naman," she said.
(I don’t want to put malice on the ponente but as one of the commissioners said in our meeting yesterday, why is it that other cases raffled after Marcos were already released?)
Guanzon on Thursday set out a warning over Twitter against attempts to influence commissioners.
"To whom it may concern: do NOT influence the commissioners. And do not try to buy me, threaten me, or seduce me," she previously said.
Who could it be?
When asked to name whoever the person or party that is influencing the resolution, Guanzon declined, but said this is someone powerful.
"Pag sinabi ko naman ang pangalan nila baka masyado pang maaga, baka sa Lunes sasabihin pag hindi pa ito lumabas," she said.
(When I say their name it could be too early, I’ll probably say it on Monday if it still does not come out.)
"Siguradong powerful ang taong ito kasi hindi naman niya pwedeng guluhin ito na wala siyang puder. Ang ano ko lang sana makinig naman sila, na ang presidente mismo ay ayaw pinapakialaman ang COMELEC sa issue na ito," she said.
(I’m sure that this person is powerful because they cannot interfere with this without a side. What I’m telling them is that I hope they listen, that their president does not want to interfere with the COMELEC in this issue.)
Her message: just bring the case to the Supreme Court, saying that the matter should not be dealt with in COMELEC.
"Akyat na kayo sa Supreme Court, dun naman 'to eh, hindi yan laro dito. Hindi dito ang laro, dun matatapos ang laro niyo."
(Take it up to the Supreme Court, that’s where it should be. This is not a case here, your case ends there.)
"I am appealing to them, wag na po kayong makialam, para mailabas na ng ponente ang resolusyon bukas or at the latest, latest na talaga 'yang Monday kasi last day na talaga 'yan," she added.
(I am appealing to them, don’t interfere so the ponente can release the resolution tomorrow or at the latest, the latest is on Monday because that is the last day.)
Guanzon, who just has days ahead of her retirement, said she wants the decision out for the benefit of Filipinos, and to ensure that she does not have any pending cases left once she leaves.
"Tapos na po ako, tinapos ko po ang trabaho ko with integrity and with strength of character and faith in the Filipino people," she said.
(I am done, my job is done with integrity and with the strength of character and faith in the Filipino people.)
The other members of the COMELEC 1st Division include commissioners Aimee Ferolino and Marlon Casquejo.
Ferolino is rumored to be the ponente of the case, but when asked to comment on the matter by reporters, she just said: "I do not want to violate the sub judice rule. I want to maintain my dignified silence."
