Comelec to comply with SC ruling on VP bet's case

• Published date: 24 November 2022
• Publication title: Philippines News agency

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) will abide by the decision of the Supreme Court (SC) on the petition filed by a vice presidential candidate who was declared a nuisance candidate in the last May 9, 2022 polls.

Comelec spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco said the poll body will follow the decision on the case of Wilson Cartero Abad.

'With the ruling of contempt and reprimand. This decision of our Supreme Court is wholeheartedly accepted by the Comelec including the instruction regarding the publication and publicity of all election activities and activities,' he said in a statement.

'Even before the decision in this case came out, the Comelec has introduced reform proposals under the leadership of Chairman George Erwin Garcia which include the publication by our resolution of the calendar of activities and the submission official activities and election work as additional guidance to the public and the Court,' he added.

He assured the SC and the public that Comelec 'will honestly and immediately comply' with the court's decision promulgated on July 5, 2022 but was only uploaded to its website on Nov. 22.

'Wherefore, the Petition for Certiorari filed by Wilson Caritero Amad is denied insofar as it has become moot and academic. Nevertheless, the members of the Commission on Elections are found guilty of contempt of the Supreme Court for their disobedience to the Court's lawful directive, specifically the Temporary Restraining Order dated January 20, 2022. Accordingly, they are reprimanded for this disobedience,' the 18-page ruling said.

It the noted that Commission failed to comply with temporary restraining order (TRO) it issued for proceeding with the printing of the official ballots.

'Notably, without considering Amad's statutory right to challenge the Comelec's dispositions, the Comelec proceeded with its pre-election activities, and even commenced the printing of the serialized ballots without Amad's name on January 23, 2022, after the Court's issuance of the TRO. Thus, it is simply undeniable that...