(UPDATE) The Commission on Elections upheld the dismissal of the disqualification cases against presidential candidate Bongbong Marcos for failure to file his income tax returns.
In a resolution released after the May 9 elections, the Commission en banc denied the motions to reverse the earlier ruling to dismiss the three consolidated disqualification cases against Marcos.
It also affirmed the dismissal of the petition seeking to cancel the son of the late dictator's certificate of candidacy.
READ:
Comelec Junks Disqualification Cases vs. Bongbong Marcos
Bongbong Marcos Certificate of Candidacy is Upheld by Comelec
The petitions mostly alleged that Marcos was "perpetually ineligible" to run for public office as he was found guilty of failing to file income tax returns and pay his income taxes from 1982 to 1985.
But according to the Comelec, the petitioners failed to raise new matters to reverse the earlier decision on the disqualification cases and petition to cancel Marcos' certificate of candidacy.
The commission maintained that earlier resolutions on the disqualification cases "meticulously threshed out" the relevants facts and issues of raised by the petitioners.
Quoting the ruling of the Comelec second division on the COC cancellation case, the commission also said Marcos "cannot be said to have deliberately attempted to mislead, misinform or hide a fact" which would make him ineligible to run for public office.
Vic Rodriguez, spokesperson for Marcos, welcomed the Comelec's decision on the petitions against Marcos.
"We have always believed that the poll body will stay true to its mandate to deliver a fair, honest and credible elections, including the dismissal of unmeritorious and politically-motivated petitions such as these," he said.
"The unanimous en banc decision has proven, once and for all, that no amount of undue political pressure can weaken the resolve of the honorable Commission to be on the side of truth and justice," he added.
While the cases have been dismissed with finality at the Comelec level, the petitioners can still make an appeal before the Supreme Court.
Marcos is currently heading to a landslide win in the presidential elections, with over 30 million voters in the partial and unofficial tally as of Tuesday morning.
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