An aspiring partylist group has filed a petition before the Supreme Court challenging the Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) decision dismissing its plea to declare Pastor Apollo Quiboloy a nuisance candidate.

The Workers’ and Peasants’ Party (WPP), led by labor leader Sonny Matula, argued that the ruling exemplifies a double standard in enforcing procedural rules, undermining fairness, equal protection and the rule of law in the electoral process.

In its petition, the group highlighted its concerns over the poll body’s practice of splitting causes of action, which fragments cases into separate issues, adding that the procedural approach burdens petitioners and delays justice, creating opportunities for respondents like Quiboloy to exploit these inefficiencies.

It also argued that while the Comelec rigidly enforces procedural requirements against petitioners, it has shown undue leniency toward Quiboloy. Despite being served a notice on 4 November 2024 requiring him to file an answer within five days, the embattled pastor failed to comply and submitted his response over a month late, on 10 December 2024. Instead of sanctioning this violation, Comelec dismissed the WPP’s petition, effectively rewarding non-compliance and undermining public trust in its impartiality.

According to the WPP, Comelec’s decision reflects unequal treatment of candidates, favoring powerful figures like Quiboloy while disregarding the rights of law-abiding individuals such as Matula’s partymate Sultan Subair Mustapha of Marawi.

It added that the selective enforcement of rules contradicts the constitutional guarantee of equal protection, which ensures fair treatment for all candidates.

The WPP also alleged that Quiboloy is making a mockery of the electoral process by using it as smokescreen for the many cases he is facing ions.

“We urge the Supreme Court to ensure that the electoral process upholds the principles of fairness, accountability, and equal protection,” Matula said. “The future of our democracy depends on it.”