MANILA — Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio remains legally eligible to run for president in the 2028 elections unless there is a final judgment convicting her of a criminal offense, Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Erwin Garcia clarified amid questions over the impact of her ongoing Senate impeachment trial on her political future.
Garcia stressed that neither a pending criminal case nor a conviction that is still under appeal automatically disqualifies a person from seeking public office, saying only a final and executory judgment can bar a candidate from running.
“Ito lang po ang maliwanag: kahit sino po ang tumatakbo, ano man ang posisyon presidente o kahuli-huling barangay kagawad, hanggang walang pinal na judgement of conviction sa isang kasong kriminal ay nakakatakbo,” Garcia told reporters.
He added that an appeal prevents a conviction from becoming final and executory, allowing a candidate to remain eligible.
“Hangga’t nakaapela ang kaso at hindi ito nagiging pinal ay pwedeng makatakbo ang naturang kandidato,” he said.
Garcia issued the clarification after being asked whether Duterte-Carpio could still pursue a presidential bid in 2028 if she resigns while her impeachment trial is pending or if the Senate eventually finds her guilty.
The Comelec chief also underscored that the poll body cannot reject a certificate of candidacy (COC) at the time of filing simply because questions have been raised regarding an aspirant’s qualifications.
“Lahat ng COC ay tatanggapin namin at hindi para desisyunan agad namin habang tinatanggap kung ito ay kwalipikado o hindi kwalipikado. Hihintayin namin na may mag-file ng petition o ang Comelec mismo ay magfa-file ng motu proprio na diskwalipikasyon laban sa isang kandidato,” Garcia said.
He explained that the Comelec’s duty to receive certificates of candidacy is purely ministerial, with questions on a candidate’s qualifications to be resolved only after a disqualification petition is filed or if the commission initiates proceedings on its own.
Duterte-Carpio earlier announced in February her intention to seek the presidency in the 2028 national elections.
She is currently on trial before the Senate impeachment court, which opened proceedings on July 6 and has allotted 92 trial days. The impeachment complaint approved by the House of Representatives on May 11 accuses the Vice President of alleged misuse of confidential funds under the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education, unexplained wealth, distribution of cash gifts to DepEd officials, and making alleged assassination threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez./PN
