SC to Comelec: Sacked gov't officials can run

Cebu City, Mandaue mayors get TRO

- MAYEN JAYMALIN

Around a hundred dismissed government officials may run in next year's polls following a Supreme Court (SC) order restraining the Commission on Elections (Comelec) from barring aspirants who had been dismissed and disqualified from holding public office.

"It seems that not only 100 have perpetual disqualification to hold public office. Actually, the Comelec is ready to issue the resolution to remove this perpetual disqualification.

This is just a timely TRO (temporary restraining order) from the Supreme Court," Comelec Chairman George Garcia said yesterday.

Garcia explained that the TRO issued by the SC effectively restrains the Comelec from enforcing a previously issued resolution automatically removing from the official list of candidates for the May 2025 elections those ordered by the Office of the Ombudsman to be perpetually disqualified from holding public office.

"That means all those with perpetual disqualification to hold public office should not be removed from the list until the Supreme Court makes a final decision or until it removes the TRO," he said.

The SC issued the TRO based on a petition filed by former Albay governor Noel Rosal, who was ordered dismissed by the ombudsman.

Other dismissed public officials have also filed similar petitions before the high court.

The Comelec is not surprised by the SC's move and it will abide by the TRO, according to Garcia.

He said the TRO shall apply not only to three public officials who filed a petition before the SC, but to all those with similar situations.

Yesterday, Garcia also reported that the Comelec is formally filing next week a material misrepresentation case against dismissed Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo.

Garcia noted that Guo's camp did not file a motion for reconsideration on the Comelec's decision to file election offense case against her.

Garcia said the Comelec would also file a motion for transfer of trial venue.