Comelec disqualifies Quezon, CamSur bets; DQs filed vs. others

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) First Division disqualified Matt Erwin Florido from running as third district representative of Quezon Province due to alleged vote-buying. 

In a 13-page resolution, petitioners who were residents of Buenavista town alleged that they were invited to an event hosted by Florido in Catanauan last April 5 and 6 wherein they were provided free transportation and food.

“Petitioners aver that the free transportation, meals, drinks, t-shorts, and P1,000.00 bill are clearly intended to induce and influence the voters’ choice and secure support [...] The timing clearly illustrates a direct quid pro quo: an exchange of material inducement in return for electoral support,” the resolution read. 

Florido—mayor of General Luna town—denied the allegations and argued that the petitioners are “campaign volunteers who freely and voluntarily undertook to conduct ground campaign for and in his behalf, without expectation of payment or remuneration.” 

Florido also said that the P1,000 cash “were cash advance/operating expense to defray and/or fund the expenses in the course of the Petitioners’ engagement as volunteers, with an accompanying duty to account and return the same if not spent.” 

However, the COMELEC ruled that there was sufficient evidence against the respondent. 

“Napatunayan ng Comelec Division na may sufficient basis na i-disqualify ang naturang kandidato for violating ang ating Omnibus Election Code, ang ating existing resolutions sa issue ng pamimili ng boto,” Comelec Chairman George Garcia told reporters earlier.

(The Comelec Division proved there was sufficient basis to disqualify the candidate for violating the OEC and our anti-vote buying resolutions.)

In a Facebook post, Florido reiterated that the allegations against him were not true. 

“Tuloy ang laban. Kailanman, hindi magtatagumpay ang kasinungalingan. Walang bibitaw. Malapit na ang tagumpay!” he said. 

(The fight continues. Lies will never succeed. No one will give up. Our victory is near!) 

DQ for CamSur bet 

The Comelec First Division also cancelled the certificate of candidacy of Ronald Alarkon Rodriguez, who was running as governor for Camarines Sur, for misrepresentation. 

According to the resolution, the petitioners alleged that Rodriguez indicated in his COC “that he is a resident of Pamon Village, Palestina, Pili, Camarines Sur for not less than one year immediately preceding the day of the election when he is, in fact, a resident of Aeroville Subdivision, San Felipe, Naga City, and continues to maintain his residence therein.” 

With regards to the discrepancy between the period of his residence in his COC and in his application for transfer of voter’s registration records, Rodriguez said “that the same was not due to bad faith, ‘but a combination of his lack of knowledge in the technicalities of our election laws and a program error or bug in the software of the Commission's Voter Registration Machine.” 

But the Comelec ruled that Rodriguez failed to meet the requirements for a new domicile or permanent residency. 

“Thus, by indicating Pili, Camarines Sur as his residence in his COC despite not being effectively domiciled therein, to make himself eligible as a candidate for Governor of Camarines Sur, Respondent committed material misrepresentation meriting the cancellation of his COC.” 

GMA News Online is trying to reach out to Rodriguez for comment.

DQs filed vs. Malabon, Aklan bets

A registered voter of Malabon City, meanwhile, on Wednesday filed an election offense case and petition for disqualification against three local candidates, including former mayor Antolin Oreta III, over alleged vote-buying activities. 

Petitioner William Nicholas arrived at the Comelec office in Intramuros, Manila, to lodge the verified complaint and disqualification petition against Oreta, who is running for Malabon lone district representative; as well as Lorenzo Oreta and Joey Sabaricos, who are both running for Malabon city councilor. 

Nicholas was accompanied by his legal counsel Christian Lemuel-Tan. 

“We filed the petition on behalf of the petitioner for violation of 261(a) of the Omnibus Election Code (OEC), and violation of Section 89 of the OEC. This is a provision regarding vote-buying and illegal giving of transportation, food, and drinks,” said Lemuel-Tan. 

According to the petition, the respondents violated 261(a), Section 89 of the OEC after they allegedly handed out brown bags containing P200 cash and a piece of bread during a campaign activity on March 28, 2025. This was personally witnessed by the petitioner.

“He has personal knowledge over the incident,”  Lemuel-Tan added. 

Meanwhile, a barangay official filed a petition for disqualification against Aklan 2nd District Representative Teodorico Haresco Jr., who is seeking reelection, for allegedly distributing cash assistance (ayuda) inside the residence of one of their staff members. 

Petitioners Henry Olid and Shirly Lagradante said Haresco violated Section 261 (a), (d), (e), and (o) of the Omnibus Election Code (OEC) when they conducted the supposed Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) payout on the evening of April 23, 2025. 

“Na-witness namin. Ako kasi ang league president ng municipality namin. With me, kasama namin ang kapitan mismo doon sa barangay kung saan namin na caught in the act ang mga pangyayari,” said  Lagradante. 

(We witnessed the activity. I am the league president of our municipality. With me were the chairperson of the barangay where it happened.)

“Nagtaka kami bakit nag-conduct ng payout sa bahay ng staff niya with two DSWD [personnel]. Hindi ko masasagot kung anong ayuda pero ang term nila is ayuda with mentioning na iboboto si Cong. Ted,” she said. 

(We were puzzled why the payout was conducted in the residence of one of his staff and two DSWD personnel. We are not sure which ayuda was being disbursed but they were mentioning that Cong. Ted should be voteed for.)

Lagradante said they received information of recipients allegedly going to the area for the payout. They coordinated with the Philippine National Police (PNP) before going to the supposed residence of Haresco’s staff and filed a blotter with the police. 

Apart from the disqualification, the petitioners are likewise seeking for the withholding of Haresco’s proclamation in case he wins and for the investigation of all parties and the referral of the matter to the appropriate office for prosecution of conspiracy for vote buying. — BM, GMA Integrated News

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