Short answer. Yes. Section 35 of RA 9165 disqualifies a person convicted under the Act from exercising civil rights such as parental authority or guardianship and the power to dispose of property by acts inter vivos, and political rights such as the right to vote and be voted for. These rights are also suspended while an appeal is pending.
What the law says
A person convicted under this Act shall be disqualified to exercise his/her civil rights such as but not limited to, the rights of parental authority or guardianship, either as to the person or property of any ward, the rights to dispose of such property by any act or any conveyance inter vivos , and political rights such as but not limited to, the right to vote and be voted for.
RA 9165, Section 35 — Loss Of Civil And Political Rights. Read the full provision →
What the law says
Such rights shall also be suspended during the pendency of an appeal from such conviction.
RA 9165, Section 35 — Loss Of Civil And Political Rights. Read the full provision →
The conviction carries an accessory penalty
Beyond imprisonment or fines, a drug conviction strips away certain rights as an added consequence. Section 35 of RA 9165 provides that a person convicted under this Act shall be disqualified to exercise his/her civil rights such as but not limited to, the rights of parental authority or guardianship, either as to the person or property of any ward, the rights to dispose of such property by any act or any conveyance inter vivos, and political rights such as but not limited to, the right to vote and be voted for. These are accessory penalties — they attach automatically to the conviction, on top of the principal punishment the court imposes.
Which civil rights are affected
On the civil side, the disqualification reaches rights tied to family and property. A convicted person loses parental authority or guardianship — the authority to make decisions over the person or property of a ward. He also loses the right to dispose of such property by any act or conveyance inter vivos, that is, transfers made during his lifetime. The phrase "such as but not limited to" signals that the list is illustrative, not exhaustive, so the loss of civil rights is not narrowly confined to only the examples the section happens to name.
Which political rights are affected
On the political side, the section names the core rights of citizenship in a democracy: the right to vote and the right to be voted for. A person disqualified under Section 35 cannot cast a ballot or run for office while the disqualification is in force. Again the section uses "such as but not limited to," indicating that the political rights lost are not limited strictly to voting and candidacy. The effect is to remove the convicted person from active participation in the electoral and civic life that these rights represent.
Suspension even during appeal
The loss does not wait for the case to be completely over. Section 35 states that such rights shall also be suspended during the pendency of an appeal from such conviction. So while a convicted person pursues an appeal, the same civil and political rights are suspended in the meantime, rather than fully restored just because the judgment is being challenged. This means the practical consequences begin to bite even before the appeal is resolved. How and when rights may be regained afterward depends on the outcome of the case and on other rules, which this section does not itself spell out.