Comelec's Garcia sees decision on Marcos DQ cases reaching Supreme Court

Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner George Garcia said the decision of the en banc on the disqualification cases filed against presidential candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. may possibly reach the Supreme Court.

“Ayaw ko po magbigay ng speculation pasensya na po sa ating mga kababayan dahil yan po ay isang legal issue na maaring muli mai-raise po sa Comelec,” Garcia said.

(I don’t want to give any speculation, my apologies to our countrymen. This is a legal issue that will possibly be raised in the Comelec.)

“Pero kung ano man po ang magiging desisyon ng Comelec en banc naninigurado po ako at nakakasigurado po ako na yan ay makakarating sa Korte Suprema, sure ako po masasagot ito sa magiging issue o kaso sa Korte Suprema,” he said.

(Whatever the decision of the Comelec en banc will be, I assure you that this will be brought to the Supreme Court. I am sure that this will be answered by the high court.)

Comelec Chairman Saidamen Pangarungan earlier announced that the ruling on three consolidated cases were already signed.

He said the poll body decided to wait for the promulgation of the fourth case since it has recently reached the en banc.

The Comelec chairman, however, assured that the decision will be released on Tuesday.

Asked what will be the next procedures if Marcos will be disqualified, Garcia said “Ang sasagot po niyan ay Korte Suprema (The Supreme Court will answer that).”

These petitions were filed separately by the leaders of Akbayan party-list, Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP), Campaign Against the Return of the Marcoses and Martial Law (CARMMA), and the Pudno Nga Ilokano (Ang Totoong Ilokano) asking the Comelec En Banc to reconsider the division's decision to junk the disqualification case against Marcos, son of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, Sr.

The Comelec First Division on April 20 junked the final disqualification case against Marcos for "lack of merit."

Garcia said the petitioners could appeal to the Supreme Court in case of unfavorable decision.—LDF, GMA News