CRACKS in the so-called “Solid North” surfaced on Tuesday after a group of Ilocanos filed a petition before the Commission on Elections seeking the disqualification of presidential aspirant Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr.
Marcos is known for having considerable support in the Ilocos region, where his family is based.
However, several members of the Pudno Nga Ilokano, who are also Martial Law victims, declared their opposition to Marcos’s presidential aspiration, citing the former lawmaker’s conviction by a Quezon City court for violating the National Internal Revenue Code, which they deemed a crime involving “moral turpitude.”
Perpetual disqualification
The petitions stressed the sentence imposed perpetual special disqualification from the right of suffrage as well as holding public office.
“Herein Petitioners who are tax-paying Filipino citizens and registered voters humbly beg the kind indulgence of this Honorable Commission and most respectfully request that it exercise its original jurisdiction to disqualify Respondent Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ R. Marcos Jr. from running for any elective position in obeisance to this Honorable Commission’s
solemn constitutional duty to apply the law without fear or favor,” the petitioners said.
The petitioners include Crisanto Ducusin Palabay, Mario Flores Ben, Danilo Austria Consumido, Gil Fernando Derilo, and Nomer Calulot Kuan, all members of the Pudno nga Ilokano.
Also a signatory to the petition are Margarita Salonga Salandanan, a member of the steering committee of the Defense of Human Rights Movement, private individuals, including Raoul Hafalla Tividad, and Nida Mallare Gatchallan.
They are represented by former Comelec chairman Christian S. Monsod in the case.
Pending cases
To note, Marcos is also facing a similar disqualification case file by Bonifacio Ilagan’s group, Akbayan, and Abubakar M. Mangelen.
He also has two separate petitions seeking the cancellation of his certificate of candidacy, which were filed by Christian Buenafe and others and Tiburcio Marcos.
Last, Danilo Lihaylihay also filed a petition for Comelec to declare Marcos as a nuisance candidate. Such cases are still pending in the Comelec.
‘Let the people decide’
The camp of Marcos lamented the increasing number of “nuisance cases” filed against the presidential aspirant and are being addressed by his legal team.
In a statement on Tuesday, Marcos lawyer Victor D. Rodriguez said such petitions will just prevent the public from freely choosing their leaders.
“While we maintain that these petitions are nothing but nuisance cases, we urge those who are behind these pathetic stunts to please respect the Filipino people and their democratic right to decide for themselves and their collective future,” Rodriguez said.
“Elections are won and settled on election day and not through the filing of nuisance petitions,” he added.