SC stops Francis Leo Marcos’ disqualification from 2025 elections

MANILA, Philippines — The Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday temporarily halted the disqualification of Norman Mangusin, who goes by Francis Leo Marcos, from the 2025 midterm elections.

This came after the SC issued a temporary restraining order on the Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) decision to tag Mangusin as a “nuisance candidate,” which had effectively disqualified him from the upcoming elections.

“The SC issued a temporary restraining order preventing the Comelec from declaring Marcos a nuisance candidate,” SC spokesperson Camille Ting announced in a press conference.

“The SC also ordered the Comelec to comment on his petition within a non-extendible period of five days from receipt of notice,” she added.

When asked what the TRO entails, Ting explained that it will prevent the Comelec from implementing resolutions involving candidates, such as the declaration of Mangusin as a nuisance candidate.

“That means they have to be included in the ballot,” she said.

In November 2024, the poll body declared Mangusin, who was running for senator, a nuisance candidate.

READ: Francis Leo Marcos, 13 other ‘nuisance’ candidates oppose Comelec tag

Mangusin appealed the declaration before the Comelec but was eventually denied, prompting him to elevate his case to the SC.

READ: A first: Comelec discards 6M ballots costing P132M