Former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. files his certificate of candidacy (COC) for president on October 6, 2021, at the Sofitel Harbor Garden Tent in Pasay City. (INQUIRER.net / Daniza Fernandez)
MANILA, Philippines — The recently junked disqualification petition against the presidential bid of former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. can still be appealed all the way to the Supreme Court, retired Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio said.
“That’s the dismissal by the division. There’s still an appeal to the en banc,” Carpio said during a 1Sambayan media forum on Friday where the coalition launched its poll watchers’ campaign.
“From the en banc of the Comelec, we can still appeal to the Supreme Court. So it’s still a long way,” he added after he was asked regarding the decision of the Comelec First Division to dismiss the remaining disqualification case against Marcos filed in December 2021 for lack of merit.
Former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. (left) and former Supreme Court Justice Antonio Carpio (right)
In filing the disqualification case, the petitioners said Marcos’ conviction for his failure to file his income tax returns is a crime involving moral turpitude, making the former senator unqualified to run for public office.
But the Comelec first division said it was “not convinced,” citing a Supreme Court ruling stating that failure to file an income tax return is not a crime involving moral turpitude.