MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has disqualified a political aspirant who wants to challenge House Speaker Martin Romualdez as representative of the first district of Leyte in the May elections.
The Comelec said Romilda Bacale is not a registered voter in Tacloban.
“Bacale has just transferred from Sampaloc,” Comelec Chairman George Garcia said, adding that the poll body’s decision is final and executory.
Bacale was a former regional coordinator of the Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino under the leadership of former president Joseph Estrada.
She used to head the Manila Action Center under the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
Earlier, Bacale said the people of Leyte urged her to run in the coming elections.
Governor’s COC valid – Comelec
Meanwhile, the Comelec denied a petition to cancel the certificate of candidacy (COC) of Mountain Province Gov. Bonifacio Lacwasan Jr. for lack of merit.
In a resolution signed by Comelec presiding Commissioner Socorro Inting and Commissioners Aimee Ferrolino and Ernesto Ferdinand Maceda Jr. in December, the poll body said Lacwasan did not err in filing his COC for the May elections.
The petition was filed by a certain Johnny Lausan, who said Lacwasan’s candidacy violated the rule on term limits.
The complainant said Lacwasan misled voters into believing that he is eligible for another term as governor.
He said Lacwasan has served as governor of Mountain Province for three terms.
Appointed as acting governor in 2016, Lacwasan won as governor for two consecutive terms in the 2019 and 2022 elections.
The Comelec said Lacwasan is not covered by the three-term limit rule since he was elected vice governor in 2016 and merely served as acting governor for the full term or until 2019.
The poll body said that from 2016 to 2019, Lacwasan was an appointee and therefore has served for only two consecutive terms as elected governor.
The Comelec said Lacwasan did not lose his position as vice governor when he was appointed as acting governor.
The poll body said Lacwasan assumed the post due to the death of the proclaimed governor, Leonard Mayaen in March 2016.