Commission on Elections (COMELEC) was wrapped by controversy after commissioner Rowena Guanzon of the first division broke her silence on the delay of the pending disqualification case against Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP) standard-bearer Bongbong Marcos. Guanzon led the voting and publicly revealed her votes to disqualify Marcos before its final promulgation.
The petitioners of the said case praised Guanzon for standing in justice and truth. However, PFP seeks COMELEC to investigate Guanzon for illegally disclosing her vote, asking to be disbarred with forfeiture of her retirement benefits and lifetime pension for destroying the institution’s reputation.
Guanzon reiterated in the resolution that Marcos Jr. is not eligible to run for president. Omnibus Code, Section 12, of Article 1 prohibited Bongbong Marcos this coming election due to failure to file his Income Tax Returns. The commissioner had expressed that she prefers a leader who abides by the law, which is vital in seeking public office.
The filing of the candidacy of Bongbong Marcos has become controversial because another Marcos aims to reclaim Malacañang. Marcos has been leading the race since filing the Certificate of Candidacy, garnered 53 percent ahead of his biggest rival, Vice President Leni Robredo, who only attained 20 percent, based on the latest survey of Pulse Asia in December 2021.
In the past years, Marcos deployed an army of social media allies to salvage his father’s legacy, whitewashing the public and viewing it as a golden era, when the Philippine economy suffered from his father’s regime with billions of dollars disappearing.
Even in this modern age, social networking platforms such as Tiktok, Facebook, and Youtube had been used to manipulate the public’s minds to revise history and to praise the Marcoses. The lie becomes the truth when it shares and likes a thousand times. The public who trusts the news media less due to the propaganda surface on the internet relied tremendously upon social media as a source of facts.
Marcos supporters accused Guanzon of “dilawan” for giving due pressure to the other commissioners to cast votes immediately, creating a public discourse to shape the people’s mind that there is an anomaly and the unnamed politician is interfering in the case. Guanzon addressed that she voted according to the law, proving Marcos committed a crime involving moral turpitude.
A politician with pending cases and criminal records should not run for government positions this coming election because leaders must prove a high degree of integrity and ethical values. Our country deserves a law-abiding, upright, and genuine leader. We always seek development, yet we never learn to be educated. The coming election is crucial because we elect leaders who will acquire power. The power that can use for personal interest and pleasure. This power should be given to a politician who attains a clean record of governance.
The government is not for politicians who are violators of the law. Marcos should not be allowed to run this coming election because a leader must show good intentions and devotion to the country. If he runs and wins, our future is at stake because how can he lead us if he does not know the ethical and immoral acts?
To a politician like Marcos, who has pending cases and criminal records, you are liable for criminalities — enough reason to hinder you from seeking the presidency.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not reflect the view of POLITICO.PH
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
J C M. Poblete is a graduating Journalism student from Colegio de San Juan de Letran, and currently working as an intern at POLITICO.PH under PageOne Media and Communications Inc. He is the former President of SCRIBE-Journalism Society, the official and recognized journalism organization of Letran Manila. Aside from this, he actively represents his course in the student council to conduct events, seminars, and training to hone the skills of his fellow journalism students.
Photo Credit: Facebook/bongbongmarcos