FORMER Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner Ma. Rowena Amelia Guanzon has filed a motion for reconsideration in relation to her indictment by the Office of the Ombudsman (OMB) over complaints for violation of Republic Act 3019, or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
In a statement, Guanzon said all she asks for from the OMB is “fairness.”
She also asked for prayers for what she called “is a fight against evil.”
“Salamat po sa mga prayer warriors. Pray for me, my friends. I always pray that God will give me strength and wisdom to fight evil,” she said.
On Monday, January 8, OMB Graft Investigation and Prosecution Officer III Fatima Kristine J. Franco-Ilao issued a resolution approving the filing of charges against Guanzon for alleged premature disclosing of a confidential information during her stint as a Comelec commissioner, under Section 3k of RA 3019 or “divulging valuable information of a confidential character, acquired by his office or by him on account of his official position to unauthorized persons, or releasing such information in advance of its authorized release date.”
The case is in relation to Guanzon’s interview with two reporters regarding the agency’s decision in the disqualification case against then Presidential candidate Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
But Guanzon maintained that she did not commit such a violation, noting that the Comelec First Division had yet to decide on the case when she gave the interview.
“Wala pa naman botohan noong na interview ako kaya walang vote ako na na disclose. Wala ring internal deliberations dahil ang ponente hindi nag submit ng desisyon na,” she said.
(There was no polling when I was interviewed, so I have no vote that has been disclosed. There are also no internal deliberations because the speaker has not submitted a decision.)
Guanzon also expressed belief that the charges, which were filed against her by lawyer Ferdinand Topacio, are also related to her support to 2022 presidential candidate, then Vice President Leni Robredo. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)