By Ferdinand Patinio | Philippine News Agency
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has lifted the suspension on the proclamation of outgoing Marikina City Mayor Marcelino Teodoro as the winning congressional candidate of the city’s first district.
In a 38-page resolution promulgated on Wednesday, the Comelec en banc reversed the ruling of the First Division, which suspended Teodoro’s proclamation over alleged material misrepresentation of his address in his certificate of candidacy (COC).
The ruling granted Teodoro’s consolidated motions for reconsideration and reversed the resolution cancelling his COC.
According to the poll body, the petitioners failed to prove that Teodoro committed material misrepresentation in connection with his residency in Barangay San Roque in Marikina’s first district.
“There is nothing wrong with respondent’s flip-flopping transfer of voter registration. In Aquino v. Comelec, the Supreme Court did not find anything wrong in an individual changing residences so he could run for an elective post, for as long as he is able to prove with reasonable certainty that he has effected a change of residence for election law purposes for the period required by law,” the Comelec said.
It added that it is “undisputed” that Teodoro is neither a stranger nor a newcomer in Marikina’s first district, “as it is in fact his domicile of origin.”
“The order for the suspension of the proclamation of respondent Marcelino ‘Marcy’ R. Teodoro issued by the Commission (En Banc) on 12 May 2025 is hereby lifted,” the Comelec ruled.
“Finally, the certificate of candidacy of herein respondent Marcelino “Marcy” R. Teodoro for the Member of the House of Representatives, 1st District, Marikina City in the 12 May 2025 National and Local Elections is hereby reinstated.”
Two petitions seeking to cancel Teodoro’s COC over material misrepresentation were filed with the Comelec, one of them by his contender for the congressional seat, outgoing Senate Minority Leader Koko Pimentel III.
Meanwhile, Comelec Chairperson George Garcia said Teodoro has to wait for five days for the ruling to become final and executory before the City Board of Canvassers (CBOC) could proclaim him.
He noted that the petitioners may opt to file an appeal before the Supreme Court within five days.
“If the decision becomes final, only then can the City Board of Canvassers (CBOC) convene and proclaim the winning candidate,” Garcia said in an interview on Thursday.
He said the CBOC is an independent body that is not subject to the control of the Comelec.
“They (CBOC) have the final say on when they will convene and proclaim. After five days and no action from the SC, the Comelec will issue an entry of judgment and certificate of finality. In my opinion, this is the basis for the City Board of Canvassers to act and schedule the day when they will convene and perform the work assigned to them,” the poll body chief explained.
