The First Division of the Commission on Elections has resolved to dismiss the petition for disqualification filed against Cebu Governor Pamela Baricuatro for alleged violation of the Fair Election Act in the May 2025 polls. 

The petition was filed by Katrina Kaye Kowalik, former head of the Cebu Provincial Government’s official news portal, Sugbo News. 

“Upon scrutiny of the submitted Petition and its attachments, it appears that the Petitioner failed to attach the Respondent’s Certificate of Candidacy (COC), which is vital in order to properly verify the necessary information alleged in the Petition, particularly in this instance when the Petitioner is claiming a copy of the Petition was furnished to the Respondent via e-mail,” the decision read.

Further, the decision mentioned, that the petitioner “failed to submit together with the Petition a Proof of Service of the Petition with complete annexes to the Respondent or an Affidavit of Service, in case the former is not possible.”

The decision dated November 14, 2025 in the City of Manila was signed by Aimee Ferolino, presiding commissioner, with members Ernesto Ferdinand Maceda, Jr. and Maria Norina Tangaro-Casingal. 

Baricuatro is yet to issue a statement, as of this writing. 

To recall, Baricuatro, the challenger, garnered over a million votes that sealed an unprecedented mandate against reelectionist Gwendolyn Garcia, on her supposed sixth term as governor, who got over 700,000 votes.