Comelec Junks Petition vs Marcos Candidacy Claiming He's an Impostor

The Commission on Elections on said Tuesday it dismissed the petition seeking to block the presidential candidacy of Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. on allegations that the real son of the late dictator has been long dead.

The poll body's second division finally decided to junk the petition filed by Tiburcio Marcos to cancel Marcos Jr.'s certificate of candidacy, Comelec Spokesperson James Jimenez said.

Jimenez said in a Jan. 4 press conference that the petition was denied only to clarify his statement in another briefing on Jan. 25 that the case was still pending before the second division. The petition was finally decided on Jan. 31 in favor of Marcos.

In his petition, Tiburcio alleged that the real son of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos has died and the one gunning for Malacañang is an impostor.

Marcos Jr. had debunked the rumor as early as 2019. "Hindi ko nga malaman paano naumpisahan yang storya na iyan. Hindi na raw ako ang tunay na Bongbong, ako na raw yung kapalit," he said in a vlog.

Apart from this case, the Comelec Second Division also junked the first petition to cancel Marcos Jr.'s certificate of candidacy filed by representatives of political detainees, human rights and medical organizations. A petition urging the Comelec to declare Marcos Jr. a nuisance candidate was also dismissed.

Marcos is still facing five other petitions seeking to block his candidacy for president in the 2022 elections.

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