Comelec en banc orders suspension of proclamation of 19 candidates

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) en banc has ordered the suspension of proclamation of several candidates in Eleksyon 2025, including Pasig congressional candidate Christian "Ian" Sia and Marikina congressional bet Marcy Teodoro, pending the resolution of charges they are facing with the poll body.

Documents shared to reporters by Comelec on Tuesday named Sia and Teodoro as among the 19 local and national bets whose proclamation was ordered suspended by the en banc.

Other Eleksyon 2025 candidates ordered suspended were as follows:

• PBBM Partlyist
• Fatima Mersa Sali Salih
• Belshezzar Abubakar
• Ronald Alarkon Rodriguez
• Matt Erwin Florido
• Gerardo Angala Noveras
• Christine Marie Noveras
• Darwin Sia
• Aquino Romato
• Jeryll Harold Respicio
• Menardo Buenafe
• Christian Noveras
• James Macasero
• Ricardo Yanson
• Philip Paul Fortuno
• Dani Mando
• Mando Taha

"Pinag-aaralan ng Division kung ilan ang idadagdag pa," Comelec Chair George Erwin Garcia said.

(The Comelec Division is still studying how many other cases should be added.)

"Hindi naka-depende ang pagkilos namin kung nananalo o natatalo… Even if on the assumption na nanalo ang dapat i-disqualify, hindi 'yun ang basehan namin. Ang basehan pa rin namin 'yung records kung meritorious ba ang kaso o hindi," he said.

(Our actions do not depend if the candidate is winning or not. Even on the assumption that the candidate to be disqualified is winning, we will base on the records and the merit of the case.)

The Comelec has filed charges against several candidates for Eleksyon 2025 due to various reasons, including vote-buying and violating the poll body's anti-discrimination resolution.

To recall, the Comelec Second Division disqualified Ian Sia over his lewd remarks about sleeping with single mothers.

Meanwhile, Teodoro and his wife, Maan, were issued show cause orders over alleged vote-buying and abuse of state resources. Maan has denied the allegations. — VDV, GMA Integrated News

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