KUMPIYANSA ang dating tagapagsalita ng Palasyo na maipapanalo ni dating Senador Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos na tumatayong pambato ng Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP) ang kasong diskwalipikasyong inihain sa Commission on Elections (Comelec) kaugnay ng nalalapit na halalan sa Mayo.

Ayon kay UniTeam senatorial aspirant Atty. Harry Roque, naniniwala siyang magiging patas ang pagsusuri ng mga nalalabing Comelec commissioners makaraan ang pagreretiro ng tatlong komisyonadong sina Rowena Guanzon, Antonio Kho at Chairman Shariff Abas.

Kasabay nito, binigyang pagkilala rin ng dating human rights lawyer ang aniya’y matibay na liderato ni acting Comelec Chairman Socorro Inting (dating presiding commissioner ng Second Division) na itinalagang kapalit ng nagretirong si Abas.

Aniya, malaking bentahe ang malawak na pag-unawa ni Inting sa sigalot kaugnay ng petisyong diskwalipikasyon laban sa dating senador lalo pa’t kanya nang hinimay at binusisi batay sa merito ang kahalintulad na kaso noong siya’y presiding commissioner ng Comelec Second Division.

“I do not think that Justice Inting, who was the ponente of the 2nd Division that dismissed petitions to cancel Apo Bongbong’s certificate of candidacy, would change her position and disregard judicial consistency,” sambit ng dating presidential spokesperson.

“It is safe to assume that majority of the commissioners have voted to dismiss the petitions against (Bongbong’s) candidacy. We need to trust their collective wisdom.”

Bukod sa usaping legalidad sa Comelec, buo rin ang paniwala ng dating human rights lawyer na magkakaroon na ng isang pangulong iniluklok via majority win ang bansang Pilipinas sa katauhan ni Marcos.

“If we go by opinion poll results, more than 50 percent of the electorate would vote for Apo BBM as president of the 17th republic if the elections were held this time,” dagdag pa ni Roque, kasabay ng panawagan para sa isang tapat, maayos at mapayapang halalan sa Mayo.

Gayunpaman, nagpahayag ng kalungkutan si Roque sa aniya’y bahid na iniwan ni dating Comelec Chairman Andres Bautista at ng nagretirong si Guanzon.

“We should prevent the erosion of Comelec’s integrity, which I believe started during the term of former chair Andres Bautista. Unfortunately, instead of facing his criminal cases and Congressional inquiry, he fled to the United States.”

“One lesson that can be derived from the pre-election brouhaha caused by Commissioner Guanzon is that all members of the court must respect the judicial process and rules of procedure.”

Hindi rin aniya angkop sa mga susunod na panahon na magtalaga ng komisyunadong nabibilang sa hanay ng mga pulitiko, sa pangambang baunin pa ang pulitika sa loob ng Comelec. (FERNAN ANGELES)