THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) yesterday green lighted the proclamation of Bienvenido Abante as the duly elected member of the House of Representatives for the Sixth District of the City of Manila during the May 2025 polls.
This after the poll body issued the certificate of finality and Entry of Judgment on the decision of the Comelec en banc last June 30 annulling the proclamation of Joey Chua Uy.
“Now therefore, in view of the foregoing, the resolution of the Commission (en banc) promulgated on 30 June 2025 is hereby declared immediately executory in accordance with the Comelec Rules of Procedure,” it said, pointing out that no restraining order has been issued against its ruling.
Comelec chairman George Garcia said the issuance of the certificate of finality and Entry of Judgment means there is no more reason to delay the proclamation of Abante.
“This signals that the decision of the Comelec may already be implemented, wherein the Respondent is being removed and the Petitioner is being allowed to assume the post,” said Garcia.
The City Board of Canvassers (CBOC) of the City of Manila on late Monday said it would convene at 9 a.m. today at the Office of the Election Officer (OEO) of the Third District of the City of Manila “for the purpose of proceeding with the proclamation of Bienvenido “Benny” Mirando Abante, Jr. as a winning candidate for the position of Member of the House of Representatives for the 6th District of the City of Manila in the May 12, 2025 National and Local Elections.”
In its decision, the Comelec en banc junked the motion for reconsideration (MR) filed by Uy, saying that he failed to prove otherwise the allegations of Abante that he is not a natural-born citizen.
it noted that Uy never contested the authenticity of the Identification Certificate issued by the Bureau of Immigration, which recognized him as a naturalized Filipino citizen.
Under the 1987 Constitution, “no person shall be a member of the House of Representatives unless he is a natural-born citizen of the Philippines.”
