Comelec affirms Abante's win in Manila 6th District, junks Joey Uy's MR

The Commission on Elections En Banc on Monday affirmed the resolution declaring Bienvenido “Benny” Abante as the duly elected representative of the 6th District of Manila in the May 2025 midterm polls.

In a 12-page decision dated June 30, the Comelec En Banc junked the motion for reconsideration filed by initial poll winner Luis "Joey" Chua Uy against the June 18 resolution that voided his certificate of candidacy. 

“The proclamation of Respondent LUIS ‘JOEY’ CHUA UY is hereby ANNULLED,” the Comelec En Banc said.

“Petitioner BIENVENIDO ‘BENNY’ MIRANDO ABANTE, JR., the only qualified candidate who garnered the highest number of votes is hereby declared as the duly elected Member of the House of Representatives for the Sixth (6th) District of the City of Manila,” it added.

Abante earlier filed a petition against Chua’s win over questions about the latter's Filipino citizenship.

Following the June 18 decision, Uy filed a motion to reverse the ruling of the Comelec Second Division.

In its decision, the Comelec Second Division pointed out that Uy is not a natural-born Filipino citizen but a naturalized Filipino citizen. 

“Hence, he is not qualified to run for or hold the position of Member of the House of Representatives. His proclamation as the winning candidate for district representative of the 6th District of the City of Manila was, thus, made in violation of the Constitution,” the Comelec En Banc said, citing the earlier decision.

In an interview on Super Radyo dzBB, Comelec chairperson George Garcia said that there are technical matters and procedures that must be clarified.

The Supreme Court recently ruled that candidates who rank second in the elections cannot be proclaimed winner should the candidate that received the majority of votes be disqualified or declared ineligible.

Garcia said he will meet with the Office of the Solicitor General on Monday afternoon regarding the request for clarification from the SC.

“’Yun po ‘yung dahilan kung bakit mamayang hapon, may pagpupulong po tayo sa Solicitor General upang pag-usapan na namin ‘yung tungkol sa issue ng second placer na kung saan ‘yung Comelec ay magpapa-request ng clarification sa ating Kataastaasang Hukuman,” he said.

(That is the reason why this afternoon, we will have a meeting with the Solicitor General to discuss the issue of the second placer, where the Comelec will request clarification from the SC.)

?“Hindi man ito ‘yung pagpapa-reverse nung kanilang desisyon, kung hindi ipapa-clarify lang po sana namin,” he added.

(This is not to seek a reversal of their decision, but rather to simply request clarification.) —with a report from Joahna Lei Casilao/AOL, GMA Integrated News

For more Eleksyon 2025 related content and updates, visit GMA News Online's Eleksyon 2025 microsite.

For more Eleksyon 2025 related content and updates, visit GMA News Online's Eleksyon 2025 microsite.