MALACAÑANG criticized former Commission on Elections chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. on Tuesday for warning against chaos if the disqualification cases of two presidential candidates and issues with the vote count machines are not immediately resolved.
“We would like to believe the Supreme Court is cognizant of the expectations of the people,” said Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda. “Speculations are not helpful.”
Lacierda made the remark after Brillantes warned of chaos, even a suspension of the May national and local elections, unless the SC acts swiftly on the disqualification cases on two presidential candidates and the petitions to stop the reuse of precinct count optical scan machines.
Brillantes said the SC should decide on these pending cases because the official campaign period begins on Feb. 9 for national candidates.
“It will be chaotic. We are looking at a scenario where there could be a suspension of elections, but not a no-elections,” Brillantes said.
The Comelec earlier junked the two motions for reconsideration filed by Senator Grace Poe against the previous ruling of the First and Second Divisions canceling her Certificate of Candidacy for president.
But Comelec Chairman Andres Bautista said Poe’s name may remain on the list of presidential candidates until their decision becomes final and executory.
The Comelec cases will be heard on oral argument by the SC on Jan. 19 together with the Senate Electoral Tribunal case where Poe was declared a natural-born Filipino citizen.
Another presidential aspirant, Davao Mayor Rodrigo Duterte is also facing three disqualification cases at the Comelec and the poll body has yet to rule on them.
Duterte filed his COC for president last Nov. 27 as a substitute for Martin Dino of PDP-Laban who withdrew his COC for president.
If both Poe and Duterte are disqualified, the only popular personalities that will be left in the presidential race are Vice President Jejomar Binay, Senator Miriam Santiago and former Interior and Local Government Secretary and Liberal Party standard bearer Manuel Roxas II.