THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) First Division on Monday denied a motion of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte seeking the inhibition of Commissioner Rowena Guanzon in his disqualification cases for lack of merit.

The First Division explained that the grounds for inhibition of a member of the commission invoked by Duterte are voluntarily, not mandatory, as stated in Rule 4 of the Comelec Rules of Procedure.

Among the reasons cited by the rules for the disqualification or inhibition of members of the commission were if one’s spouse or child is related to any party within the sixth civil degree of consanguinity or affinity.READ MORE