The legal challenges preventing former senator and dictator’s son Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. from fulfilling his 2022 Malacañang dream just keep coming.

Hours after civic leaders filed with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) a petition seeking to disqualify him from the 2022 elections, another group – this time a faction of the political party that is carrying Marcos’ presidential bid – also petitioned the poll body, asking the same thing… and more.

In his petition filed on Thursday, December 2, Abubakar Mangelen, who claims to be the “duly elected chairman of the PFP,” said the Comelec should nullify Marcos’ certificate of nomination and acceptance (CONA) because it was supposedly issued by PFP without his consent.

A CONA is the document filed by an aspirant for an elective post to prove that he is running under a political party.

“The matter of indorsement by some officers of PFP came as a big shock and surprise to the petitioner and a substantial number of officers and members of PFP,” the petition read.

“Thus, the CONA issued to the respondent is unauthorized, defective, invalid, and void. Moreover, PFP’s supposed indorsement of him as the party’s presidential standard bearer is inoperative, void, and non-existent,” Mangelen, who is a commissioner of the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos, added in his petition.

Like previous legal challenges, Mangelen also cited Marcos’ 1997 tax conviction as basis for his disqualification.

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The issue on Marcos’ guilty verdict more than two decades ago has been complicated. But in essence, those who want him out of the 2022 race have argued that his failure to file income tax returns (ITRs) in the 1980s is tantamount to a crime of moral turpitude–a ground for disqualification under the Omnibus Election Code.

“It is most respectfully prayed of the Honorable Commission that the CONA issued to respondent be declared null and void and of no force and binding effect, and that respondent be disqualified as candidate and to hold public office,” Mangelen said.

In a statement ahead of Mangelen’s filing of his petition, the PFP faction that supports Marcos said that Mangelen is no longer affiliated with PFP.

“Mangelen was unseated as party chairman in September, when PFP backed Marcos for president,” said PFP secretary general Thompson Lantion.

Marcos – who at this point faces at least seven petitions against his 2022 presidential bid – has called the efforts to block his candidacy as nuisance and mere propaganda orchestrated by his rivals. – Rappler.com