Guanzon: I did not leak confidential info on Marcos candidacy case

MANILA — Former Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner Rowena Guanzon on Monday said she did not disclose any confidential information on an election case as she stressed she believes in the integrity of the Office of the Ombudsman that has indicted her.

Guanzon said, though, that she is asking the Office of the Ombudsman for fairness after it found probable cause to indict her for supposed violation of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

In a resolution, the Ombudsman alleged that Guanzon prematurely disclosed confidential information in two media interviews in 2022 when she was still presiding commissioner of the Comelec's First Division, which handled the disqualification cases against then presidential candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr.

• Ombudsman OKs graft charges vs former Comelec Commissioner Guanzon

The resolution stems from a complaint filed by lawyer Ferdinand Topacio and Diego Magpantay of the Citizen’s Crime Watch.

In a phone interview with ABS-CBN News on Monday, Guanzon said she has not yet received a copy of the resolution but will file a Motion for Reconsideration in due time.

“Naniniwala po ako sa integrity ng Ombudsman,” Guanzon said.

“All I ask from the Ombudsman is fairness. By assigning new lawyers to review my Motion for Reconsideration, not the same lawyers who wrote this resolution against me.”

She stood firm in saying that she did not violate RA 3019.

“Hindi po ako nagnakaw sa gobyerno. Baka sabihin ng mga tao ito ay graft case. Hindi po, ito po ay kaso related sa disqualification case ni Bongbong Marcos noong siya ay kandidato pa lang,” Guanzon stated.

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'NO CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION DISCLOSED'

She also insisted that she did not disclose any confidential information since there was no ponencia or a majority decision yet from the ponente who was Comelec Commissioner Aimee Ferolino.

The ponente writes the majority decision or resolution on cases.

“Sinasabi ni Topacio na inilabas ko daw ‘yung boto ko. Wala pa po kaming boto noon nung iniinterview ako,” Guanzon pointed out. “Wala naman po kaming boto pa. Wala ngang internal deliberations dahil wala siyang ponencia.”

“Anong proceedings ang dinisclose ko eh. Wala namang internal deliberations?” she asked.

“Sinasabi nilang dinisclose ko yung boto ko, opinion ko ‘yun. Kasi kailangan ‘yun, it was a necessity, a matter of public interest and my duty.

According to Guanzon, someone allegedly tried to meddle in the cases.

“Ako ang Chair, kaya kinukulit ko siya (Ferolino). ‘Fifteen days lang ang nasa rules natin eh, nasaan na? Nasaan na?’ Eh nagka-Covid daw siya. ‘Oh, nasaan na?’ Eh ako naman kahit nagkakasakit, eh, ginagawa ko pa rin yung mga decisions ko. So, talagang intentional yung delay niya,” Guanzon said.

“It was my duty and a matter of public interest that I inform the public that there was a politician who was intervening [with] a commissioner, intervening in the independence of the Comelec,” she further said.

Guanzon did not say who the politician was.

ABS-CBN News is still trying to get the side of Ferolino.