House Independent Bloc leader and Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez on Tuesday urged the Filipino people to exercise vigilance as the country is gearing up for the national and local elections in May.
Romualdez, a senatorial aspirant, issued the statement amid the warning raised by former elections chairman Sixto Brillantes that the polls might be suspended if the Supreme Court failed to resolve disqualification cases against two presidential bets.
Romualdez said he was hopeful the Filipino people will not let chaos mar this year’s elections by merely following the rule of law and the Constitution.
“The electorate will not allow chaos. It is within our hands to prevent turmoil and disarray by simply following the laws of the land and the Constitution,” Romualdez said.
Romualdez said the SC led by Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno will not let a chaotic conduct of polls, saying the high tribunal will decide on the disqualification cases against two presidential candidates and other pending similar matters before the elections.
Romualdez said the SC will rule based on the best interest of the country on presidential candidates Senator Grace Poe and Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte’s disqualification cases and the petitions to stop the reuse of precinct count optical scan machines in 2016 elections.
“Being the final arbiter of many issues that is dividing the country, I am confident that the Supreme Court will decide for the best interest of the nation concerning legal questions raised against two presidential bets and other election-related matters. The Supreme Court will decide on the interest of the society and for the maintenance of good,” Romualdez said in response to former Commission on Elections Chairman Sixto Brillantes, Jr. warning of chaos and even a suspension of the May national and local elections unless the SC acts swiftly on pending matters.
“We hope and pray that it will be peaceful and orderly as we are confident that the SC will resolve the issues promptly,” Romualdez, a shared senatorial candidate of presidential bets Vice President Jejomar Binay and Duterte, added.
Camiguin Rep. Xavier Jesus Romualdo, a 2012 bar topnotcher, agreed with Romualdez that people can save the country from chaos by respecting and abiding the Constitution.
“However, even if such cases won’t be resolved in a timely manner, I do not think chaos will ensue if we just follow the laws and rules in place. There might be chaos, however, if certain groups or persons will sow it and agitate our people. That to me, is the real danger in the coming elections,” Romualdo said.
“I agree that these cases should be resolved swiftly, just like all other legal controversies and I am confident that the Supreme Court will prioritize all election-related petitions,” Romualdo added.