MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections said it will promulgate the four disqualification cases filed against presidential aspirant Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. by Tuesday, a day after the country holds its national elections.
In a press conference held Sunday, Comelec Chairman Saidamen Pangarungan said that the poll body wanted to release its decision on the four disqualification cases at the same time. Pangarungan said the three consolidated cases have already been signed by the en banc — the body of commissioners meeting together.
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The chairman said he received the fourth disqualification case last Thursday night. He only had a chance to read it on Friday and voted right after. But the poll body cannot promulgate cases on weekends and holidays.
“[It just wasn’t promulgated] because the following day was a Saturday and then today’s a Sunday, and tomorrow is a special non-working holiday,” Pangarungan said in a mix of English and Filipino.
"We cannot promulgate, but you can [be] rest assured that by Tuesday, the first working day of next week, we will promulgate yung apat na disqualification cases," he added.
All of the petitions against Marcos are based on his failure to file his Income Tax Returns for four years.
The four cases were junked by the poll body’s first division, saying that his failure to submit documents does not equal moral turpitude which is a ground for disqualification.
READ: Marcos hurdles all DQ petitions at Comelec division level
Meanwhile, Comelec Commissioner George Garcia maintained that the poll body’s decision will have an “implication” on the elections tomorrow.
“‘Yung resolution may implication dun sa halalan na mangyayari bukas kahit pa mailabas ‘yung resolution after the election,” Garcia said without elaborating.
(The resolution has implications for the elections, even if it will be released after the polls.)
While over 67.5 million Filipinos will cast their ballots on Monday, the elected president will be inaugurated at the end of June.