MANILA (UPDATE) — Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner Aimee Ferolino on Monday lashed out at her colleague Rowena Guanzon for accusing her of holding hostage the resolution of the disqualification petitions against presidential candidate Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr.

“YOU’RE DESTROYING THE CREDIBILITY OF COMELEC.”

Comelec’s Aimee Ferolino criticizes colleagues Rowena Guanzon for accusing her of hostaging Marcos DQ cases.

“I am asking you to stop conditioning the minds of people that there is delay because there’s none,” she tells Guanzon. pic.twitter.com/Jrf9akw1zE

— J. Villaruel (@jauhnetienne) January 31, 2022

In a memorandum in response to Guanzon's demand for explanation on the alleged "delay," Ferolino said she is "judiciously scrutinizing all the attached evidence" in determining whether Marcos should be disqualified or allowed to run as president in May.

• Guanzon to Ferolino: Explain delay in Marcos disqualification cases resolution

"With all due respect, there is nothing to explain because I do not submit to your pronouncement that there is delay in the release of my ponencia on the Marcos cases," Ferolino wrote.

• Comelec’s Ferolino 'harassed' after Guanzon accidentally leaks personal number

She asked Guanzon to "stop conditioning the minds of people that there is delay because there’s none."

She said that the January 17 "deadline" cited by Guanzon was not the collective decision of the Comelec First Division, of which the latter is presiding commissioner.

Ferolino also said that she is tasked to write a draft ruling on three separate disqualification petitions consolidated into one, and that she was only designated for the job on Jan. 10.

She claimed that Guanzon demanded that she and her staff work "24 hours" or "walang tulugan" (pull an all-nighter) to draft the ponencia.

Guanzon's actions "are destroying the credibility" of Comelec, said Ferolino, who was appointed as commissioner in December.

• Guanzon challenges fellow commissioner: Let's resign together

"I am asking you to spare the Commission from all these controversies because you are destroying the credibility of the agency," she said.

In an apparent response to Guanzon’s claim of "political interference" and "suhol" remark, Ferolino said a vote in favor or against Marcos will not "benefit [her] in any way."

Guanzon is racing against time to make her vote to disqualify Marcos count. If the division promulgates its decision after her retirement on Thursday, Feb. 3, her vote would not be counted.

• Guanzon votes to disqualify Marcos, says tax offense harmed public interest

Ferolino did not say when her draft ponencia would be ready.

The petitions against Marcos were based on his 1995 conviction for tax evasion.

RELATED VIDEO

Watch more in iWantv or TFC.tv