Bets’ names to stay in ballots until DQ ruling becomes final

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ELECTIONS chairman George Garcia yesterday said the names of disqualified candidates will not be removed from the official ballots that will be used for the May national and local elections until the decision on their ineligibility becomes final and executory.

In an interview, Garcia said the name of a disqualified candidate will stay in the official ballots while their disqualification cases are pending or are under appeal.

“Once a candidate and the decision on his/her case is final and executory, only then will his/her name be removed from the ballot,” said Garcia.

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The poll chief issued the reminder amid questions on the retention of the name of Marikina Mayor Marcelino Teodoro in the official ballots for the May 2025 polls.

A look at the ballot face template of the 1st District of Marikina City posted in the Comelec website showed that Teodoro’s name is still one of the two candidates for congressman.

Last December 2024, the first division of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) ruled to deny due course to Teodoro’s certificate of candidacy (COC) for congressman of the city’s first district after he was found to have committed material misrepresentation in filing his COC last October 2024.

Garcia explained that Teodoro still has a pending Motion for Reconsideration (MR) before the Comelec en banc.

“There have been numerous instances of the Commission en banc having a reversal of the decision of the division because of the arguments presented in the MR,” Garcia said.

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