MANILA, Philippines — A group identified as martial law victims has filed a complaint against former senator Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos, Jr. who is now running for president in the 2022 national and local elections.

Attorney Howard Calleja, legal counsel of Campaign Against the Return of the Marcoses and Martial Law (CARMMA), said that they —  along with Bayan Muna Representative Satur Ocampo — filed a petition for disqualification against Marcos before the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

Calleja said Comelec must disqualify Marcos from holding any government position as he was found guilty of violating the Tax Code.

Calleja particularly cited Marcos’ failure to file his income tax return from 1982 to 1985 for which he was found guilty by the Quezon City Regional Trial Court in 1997.

“Ang sinasabi natin dito, because of the final judgement of conviction, siya po ay perpetually disqualified under the Tax Code, yung sinabi nating section 253 (c),” Calleja said.

The group also insists that the Court of Appeals made a wrong decision of removing the jail time sentence against Marcos and just directing him to pay penalties.

Calleja further said that they will file a new motion for a faster resolution of the Petition for Intervention which they earlier filed before the poll body.

“Tomorrow I will file a motion for a speedy trial or to decide the case immediately for the first case, para mabilisan. Kasi, I think (November) 20 something pa yong next hearing. So, I’m hoping that I can push or seek remedy for the past decision of the (Comelec),” he said. —/mbmf (from the report of UNTV Correspondent Dante Amento)

MANILA, Philippines – Former Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile expressed his belief that the arbitral ruling upholding the claims of the Philippines in the West Philippine Sea is not meaningless.

Enrile issued the remark after President Rodrigo Duterte reiterated his stand that the 2016 The Hague ruling nullifying China’s historical claims over the West Philippine Sea will just be rejected by China.

“This is really the dilemma of the nation. For me, the beginning of this problem was when we retreated,” Duterte said, referring to the 2012 standoff between the Philippines and China in the Scarborough Shoal.

“Since then, yung paper works about the arbitral award has become meaningless and the opposite camp of the political side ay nagsabi na I should do my very best in asking the UN,” he added.

But Enrile said the arbitral ruling on the issue will not go to waste as it is already on record. He also indicated that the award, which also voided China’s historical claims, was based on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

“Sa aking paningin, hindi naman nasasayang yung desisyon ng arbitration diyan sa bagay na yan sapagka’t nandiyan na yun eh. Sa palagay ko nakarehistro ang decision sa record ng UN,” he said.

He, however, said any resolution coming from the UN will not have much effect as the body is powerless to enforce it.

“Ano pang kailangang resolusyon ng UN para malunasan ang sigalot na yan? Palagay ko kahit may resolution ng UN yan, di mapapatupad ng UN yung resolution nila. Wala silang police force eh. Wala namang world government na kagaya ng estruktura sa ating bansa,” he said.

Duterte thanked Enrile for his advise and for backing up the administration’s foreign policy, reiterating that he prefers to talk with China instead of using force to defend the Philippine sovereignty.

“I was frank enough in the early days that ‘might’ make it right. We are not unfortunately on the side of might. We cannot do anything in force so we have to talk,” he said.

“Just talk and talk until such time by grace of God until there is an opportunity in time,” he added.

Duterte invited Enrile to be a special guest during his weekly public address to speak on the issue of the West Philippine Sea.

MANILA, Philippines – Former Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile advised President Rodrigo Duterte not to mind people who are criticizing his foreign policy, particularly on the issue involving China and the disputed areas in the West Philippine Sea.

During Duterte’s pre-recorded public address late Monday, Enrile told the president to just let his critics ramble on and to not engage them on the issue.

“That’s the best thing Mr. President. Pabayaan mo na lang sila,” Enrile said.

“After all Mr. President, you are only responsible to the Filipino people, and you are not responsible to any specific person for your foreign policy. Yours is to protect the interest of the nation and its people in the best way you can,” he added.

Duterte invited Enrile to Malacañang to speak on the issue concerning West Philippine Sea, the role in the issue of some officials, particularly former Senator Antonio Trillanes and former Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario, and why the Philippines lost access to the Scarborough Shoal during the Aquino administration.

“Alam na ngayon ng mga tao kug bakit hindi ako sumasagot. This is the best advise that I got ngayong gabing ito,” Duterte said.

“I hope that we would be able to weather any trouble with China now and in the future for as long as it’s very dangerous for us,” he added.

Earlier in the conference, the 97-year old former lawmaker also advised Duterte to keep his “friendly” approach towards China and the issue on the West Philippine Sea.

“Hindi dapat gamitin ang mainit na kaisipan na kagaya ng mga kritiko natin. Dapat balance lang ang approach natin at mahinahon,” he said.

“Kailangan na friendly ang approach natin diyan, hindi assertive and aggressive approach sapagkat kapag hindi tayo magkakaunawa sa China ay madadamay ang interes ng ating mga kababayan, ang ating ekonomiya, pati na rin ang ating seguridad dito sa usapin na ito,” he added.

Duterte thanked Enrile for his advise, reiterating that he prefers to talk with China instead of using force to defend the Philippine sovereignty.