Comelec junks ‘nuisance’ petition against Marcos

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MANILA – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has affirmed the Second Division’s decision to junk the petition seeking to declare the presidential frontrunner Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. a nuisance candidate and to cancel his certificate of candidacy (COC).

The Comelec en banc said in a five-page resolution that Danilo Lihaylihay’s motion for reconsideration was dismissed because it just repeated the petitioner’s arguments. The body maintained that “there is no compelling basis to question the conclusions of the Commission (Second Division).”

“A careful review of the Motion for Reconsideration reveals that it contains merely a rehash of petitioner’s averments and arguments,” it said.

“The Motion failed to raise new matters or issues, and the grounds that would warrant the reversal of the Assailed Resolution,” the Comelec added.

It noted that there is also no ready to reverse the decision of the Second Division.

“It is apparent on the face of the Motion that there is no cogent reason to disturb the findings of the Commission (Second Division),” it said.

“Wherefore, in view of the foregoing, the Commission (En Banc) denies (the) respondent’s Motion for Reconsideration dated 22 December 2021 and affirms the Resolution of the Commission (Second Division) promulgated on 16 December 2021,” the decision added.

Lihaylihay filed the petition in October 2021 urging the poll body to declare Marcos as a nuisance candidate.

The Comelec Second Division junked the petition two months later. The petitioner subsequently appealed the case before the Commission en Banc.

The Comelec also denied the MRs filed by Bonifacio Ilagan, Akbayan Party, Abubakar Mangelen; and the appeal of Fr. Christian Buenafe, among others, against Marcos, asking to disqualify the latter from running in the presidential race.