SC allows Gil to continue campaigning

Disqualified candidate Eddie Gil is back on the presidential campaign trail — at least for now.

Meeting en banc in Baguio City, the Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that the standard-bearer of Partido Isang Bansa Isang Diwa can rejoin the presidential race because the disqualification case against him has not yet become final.

"(The parties must) observe the status quo prevailing before the filing of the petition," the ruling said.

Gil drove yesterday from Baguio to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) main office in Intramuros, Manila to personally deliver the high tribunal’s order.

"Salamat naman at hinipo rin ni Lord and mga puso ng mga justices," he told The STAR, giving thanks that "the Lord has touched the hearts of the justices."

"This a sure sign that the next decisions would be favorable for me. I ask the Filipino people to prepare because I will be in your places soon," Gil said.

Comelec Chairman Benjamin Abalos said the Supreme Court order has allowed Gil to rejoin the presidential race as the sixth candidate.

He said Gil will be accorded all the rights of a presidential candidate until the high tribunal disqualifies him with finality.

The poll body will not contest the high court decision favoring Gil, Abalos added.

The Supreme Court has ordered the Comelec to answer Gil’s petition within five days from notice of the resolution.

Presidential candidate Eddie Villanueva, who filed the disqualification case against Gil, was "shocked" that the Supreme Court had given "sympathetic attention" to Gil, whom he described as a "nuisance candidate."

However, Jordan Pizarras, legal counsel of Villanueva’s Bangon Pilipinas political party, said they are confident that the high court would dismiss Gil’s petition.

In his petition questioning the Comelec decision, Gil said his name should not be stricken off the list of qualified presidential candidates while his appeal is pending before the Supreme Court.

Gil asked the high court to allow him to continue with his campaign just like senatorial candidate Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr. in the November 1967 elections.

Gil said the name of Aquino, who was also a facing a disqualification case at the time, was allowed by the Supreme Court to be retained in the list of candidates of the Comelec.

Aquino was later declared by the Supreme Court to be fit and qualified to be a duly elected senator of the Republic, he added.

Gil elevated his case to the Supreme Court after the Comelec denied his motion for reconsideration.

Last month, the poll body declared Gil a nuisance candidate and ordered his disqualification on grounds that he could not prove that he could launch a nationwide campaign.

In filing the disqualification case, Villanueva said he was afraid that votes for him might be invalidated because he and Gil have the same nicknames.

Gil was not qualified to run for president based on his qualifications, and both the candidate and his political party, Partido Isang Bansa Isang Diwa, could not carry out a national campaign, Villanueva added.

However, Gil said he was a victim of "trial by publicity" and that the Comelec was strongly influenced by a series of adverse reports.

Gil said the poll body’s bias against him became "obvious" when the commissioners cited his shortcomings during the campaign like his alleged issuance of bouncing checks to a restaurant and a hotel in Cagayan de Oro City. — With Edu Punay, Jose Aravilla