THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) law department has filed a disqualification case against Raineir Joaquin Uy, who is running for congressman of the first district of Cagayan de Oro City in the May 2025 polls, over the allegedly fraudulent voter registration activity in Barangay Carmen, where he is the incumbent barangay chairman.
In a 16-page petition for disqualification, the Comelec law department asked the Commission en banc to disqualify Uy over the “fraudulent scheme” of issuing questionable barangay certifications that were used to apply for voter registration in the first district of Cagayan de Oro City.
“All told, based on the facts established, arguments presented, and applying the afore cited provisions of the OEC, Respondent willfully and maliciously employed the fraudulent scheme of issuing barangay certifications even to non-residents of Barangay Carmen to influence and induce them to register as voters in the said barangay, to purposely give due advantage to his candidacy for the 2025 NLE,” said the law department.
“Wherefore, premises considered, it is most respectfully prayed of this Honorable Commission to disqualify Respondent Raineir Joaquin Velez Uy from being a candidate for the position of Member, House of Representatives, first district, Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental, pursuant to Section 68 of the Omnibus Election Code (OEC), in relation to Section 261 (e) of the same Code,” it said.
The law department said the disqualification of Uy is based on the “implausible influx” of application for registration in Barangay Carmen, and the unexplainable number of applicants who used barangay certifications issued by Uy in support of their application for registration.
It also cited the procedure done for issuance of barangay certifications marked by inconsistencies and irregularities; and the sizable number of applicants, which failed to substantiate their qualifications as voters despite being issued barangay certifications.
“These dubious barangay certifications indubitably incite the registrants to apply for registration in Barangay Carmen, although they do not possess the residency requirement in the said barangay prescribed by law… (These are) all badges of fraud attributed to the Respondent,” said the petition.
It said that there is no other individual that can best benefit from employing such a scheme than Uy and his 2025 electoral bid.
It pointed how issuing barangay certificates to non-residents, who would use it for voter registration purposes, and support his candidacy for congressman will do him well.
“Respondent is in the best position to derive a personal benefit as candidate from acts made in his official capacity as barangay chairman,” it said.
Earlier, the Comelec formed a Special Task Force to look into the questionable high number of voter registrants in Barangay Carmen.
The investigation showed that out of 21,854 applications received for the entire voter registration period, 8,218 (37.60%) of the applicants used Barangay Certification as their valid identification.
Of the applications using barangay certifications, some 1,161 applications were disapproved in Barangay Carmen for failure to appear before the Election Registration Board and to satisfactorily prove residency in Barangay Carmen.
The Special Task Force, subsequently, recommended that a disqualification case be filed against Uy.
It must be noted that re-electionist Rep. Lordan Suan of the Lakas-CMD was the one who sought for the investigation from the Comelec.
