The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Wednesday dismissed a petition from the Cusi wing of the PDP-Laban party to reopen the filing of certificates of candidacy and delay printing the ballots.

It also rejected a plea by the National Coalition for Life and Democracy to postpone the May 2022 elections, citing the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a virtual press briefing, Comelec Spokesman James Jimenez bared that the Commission en banc ''resoundingly denied'' the petitions.

"Both were denied unanimously. They were both resoundingly denied," said Jimenez.

He said PDP-Laban's petition was denied due to lack of merit.

As to the other petition by the PDP-Laban seeking to postpone printing of the ballots, Jimenez said it was also found to be lacking in merit.

"This is not the first time that we will be printing ballots with pending disqualification cases," he said.

In a 20-page petition, the PDP-Laban wing of Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi asked the Comelec last December 31 to reopen the COC filing period. It was held last October 1 to 8, 2021.

PDP-Laban also asked the Comelec to delay the printing of the official ballots by citing the pendency of numerous legal proceedings involving candidates and party-list organizations.

Jimenez said the Comelec en banc also denied the NCLD petition to postpone the elections to another year as "the ground being raised was not meritorious.''

Comelec also denied accreditation to The Malasakit Movement Inc. (Malasakit Movement) as a partylist.

Jimenez said the group failed to prove ''they represent the marginalized and underrepresented sector." DMS