Erice, supporters hold demonstration against Comelec’s disqualification
Former Caloocan 2nd District Rep. Egay Erice meets his supporters who gathered at the Commission on Elections in Intramuros, Manila to protest his disqualification. (INQUIRER.net / JOHN ERIC MENDOZA)
MANILA, Philippines — Former Caloocan 2nd District Rep. Egay Erice was joined by his supporters at the Commision on Elections (Comelec) on Monday as he contested the poll body division’s decision to disqualify him from seeking a return to the House of Representatives.
Erice filed his motion for reconsideration (MR) on Monday.
He asked the Comelec en banc to reverse the decision of the poll body’s Second Division about his reelection bid in 2025.
READ: Comelec disqualifies Erice over false claims
Article continues after this advertisementHe filed the appeal despite believing that it is unlikely for the Comelec en banc to reverse the division’s ruling.
Article continues after this advertisement“I am still filing because that is the process,” Erice explained in an ambush interview after filing his MR. “I cannot directly file to the Supreme Court if I am not exhausting all of my remedies.”
The Comelec division disqualified Erice over his claims about the poll body’s joint partnership with a South Korean election systems provider.
Comelec chairman George Erwin Garcia inhibited from Erice’s case, but for the the former Caloocan representative, this move is not enough.
“Dapat nga mag-inhibit silang lahat para merong semblance of fairness,” Erice said, referring to the six other commissioners who are part of the en banc.
The former lawmaker noted that the Comelec commissioners are also respondents in the case he filed at the Supreme Court (SC).
Last April, Erice asked the SC to stop the Comelec from implementing its P17.9 billion Automated Election System contract with Miru Systems Co. Ltd. and their partners for the 2025 national and local elections.
Erice said the contract violates the provisions of Republic Act 7369 or the Automated Election Law, specifically the provisions on bidding procedures and the use of prototype machines during elections.
