The United Opposition (UNO) has urged the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to resolve the disqualification case filed against former President Joseph Estrada before the official start of the formal campaign period.

UNO spokesperson and former Senator Ernesto Maceda said the Comelec owes it to the voting public to settle the issue the soonest possible time, especially since the petition to disqualify Estrada from the 2010 presidential race is based on a “weak and poorly prepared” plea.

Maceda was referring to the disqualification petition filed by lawyer Oliver Lozano that was earlier junked by the Comelec on grounds on being premature. Lozano claimed that Estrada’s bid for reelection is unconstitutional.

“Lozano’s petition is poorly prepared that the Comelec wanted to dismiss it moto propio. Even then, we are ready to answer it. We are just waiting the summon from the Comelec for us to send our formal reply,” Maceda said.

The former senator also said that UNO is expecting at least five disqualification cases to surface after Estrada filed his certificate of candidacy (CoC) and yet only Lozano’s persisted. Even Malacañang’s pronouncement that Estrada is qualified to run vindicated Estrada’s bid for reelection.

“We are supremely confident that any disqualification case will not prosper. And the Comelec should really decide on it soon so it won’t keep the public hanging,” he added.

Although the Comelec’s jurisdiction to resolve the case remains questioned, Maceda said they expect the agency to solve the case not later than December and the Supreme Court to resolve the appeal not later than January.