Comelec to allow 2025 run of execs with pending appeals of their DQs

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LOCAL officials who have appealed the order of the Office of the Ombudsman perpetually disqualifying them to run for public offices will benefit from the freeze order issued by the Supreme Court (SC) in relation to the 2025 election bids of dismissed Albay Gov. Noel Rosal, Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, and Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes.

Elections chairman George Garcia said the poll body will implement the temporary restraining order (TRO) issued by the Supreme Court (SC) and allow not only Rosal, Rama and Cortes but other officials who have appealed the Ombudsman ruling to run in the May 2025 national and local polls.

“We respect and we will comply with the TRO issued by the Supreme Court because we believe that the petitioners have vested rights that will be affected and that they have an urgent need to stop us from implementing our resolution,” said Garcia said.

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“There were three petitioners slapped with perpetual disqualification who went to the Supreme Court. But, in effect, we must apply this to all similarly situated individuals, and not just to the three,” he added.

The SC on Tuesday issued a TRO stopping the Comelec to implement Resolution No.11044-A based on the petitions filed by Rosal, Rama, and Cortes.

The resolution authorized the poll body to implement decisions from the Ombudsman perpetually disqualifying public officials, unless a TRO is issued by a higher court.

Asked how many political aspirants in the May 2025 polls stand to benefit from the TRO, the poll chief said they are still reviewing their data.

“I think it will not be less than 100 (aspirants) who have perpetual disqualification to hold public office,” said Garcia.

He said the Comelec was preparing to release the list of political aspirants who are disallowed to run in next year’s polls based on various rulings of the Ombudsman until the SC issued the TRO. “This TRO from the SC was just timely issued,” said Garcia.

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