Comelec commissioner Aimee Ferolino accuses Guanzon of trying to influence her decision on Bongbong Marcos' DQ case
In a letter addressed to Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chair Sheriff Abas, commissioner Aimee Ferolina accused fellow First Division member Rowena Guanzon of "trying to influence" her decision on the disqualification case against presidential aspirant Bongbong Marcos.
"[Guanzon] also consistently took liberties in telling me to adopt her opinion... she is trying to influence my decision and trying to persuade me to her direction," Ferolino wrote.
Guanzon on Jan. 27 announced her opinion to disqualify Marcos, and in doing so, revealed that Ferolino is the ponente on the case.
Ferolino also claimed that Guanzon "imposed" the Jan. 17 deadline on the ruling.
"There was no internal agreement between and among the First Division Commissioners that the promulgation of the resolution is set on 17 January 2022. It was the presiding commissioner herself who set that date and imposed the same upon me and Commissioner Marlon Casquejo.
However, she said the 12-day deadline was impossible, as one of her lawyers and members of her staff experienced COVID-19. She also said that a case like Marcos' is too complex and highly rated for the Ponencia to draft a resolution in Guanzon's time frame.
The commissioner said that the unavailability of the ruling was "not undue delay" but "undue rush," as she has been "bombarded" with texts about when the resolution will be out since it was raffled to her office.
On Jan 27, Guanzon addressed members of the media, revealing her vote to disqualify Marcos. She also said that the delay of the decision on the cases was due to efforts to "influence the commissioners."
Following this, Partido Federal ng Pilipinas, the party Marcos is running under, urged Comelec to probe Guanzon. Ferolino also asked the poll body to "review" the First Division's presiding commissioner's actions, as the disclosure of the ponente would "expose" her to "possible pressure from different personalities and organizations."