MANILA – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Monday proclaimed Alfredo Garbin Jr. as duly elected mayor of Legazpi City, replacing disqualified mayor Carmen Geraldine Rosal.
The Special City Board of Canvassers of Legazpi City convened at the Comelec headquarters in Intramuros, Manila to proclaim the new Legazpi City mayor after the Supreme Court affirmed the disqualification of Rosal last month.
Rosal defeated Garbin for the mayoral race in the May 2022 elections, but Comelec disqualified her in October 2022 for violating the Omnibus Election Code in connection with the disbursement of government funds during the prohibited period.
Garbin said he is hoping the decision of the SC and Comelec en banc will put closure to the issue “that really divides the city.”
“(Ang) sabi nila pag SC nagdesisyon (They said, if the SC will decide), they will respect it. And I hope, true to their word, they will respect the decision of the SC and the Comelec en banc,” the new Legazpi City mayor added.
Garbin will have only until June 30, 2025 to serve as mayor of Legazpi City.
Local nuisance bets
Meanwhile, Comelec chairperson George Garcia on Monday said the First and Second Divisions will release this week the list of declared local nuisance candidates in the May 2025 mid-term polls.
“Sa mga local, asahan niyo po ngayong linggo na ito madami na ilalabas ng Comelec Divisions ang mga decision patungkol sa kanila (To the locals, you can expect that this week, the Comelec Divisions will come out with the decision regarding them (nuisance),” he said in an interview.
“Ngayon ay may halos 300 na kaso ng pinapa declare nuisance sa buong Pilipinas (As of now, there are almost 300 cases of being petitioned to be declared as nuisance candidates throughout the country),” he added.
Last Saturday, Comelec announced that at least 47 senatorial aspirants have been declared nuisance candidates.
Garcia said the 47 individuals may question the decision of the poll body.
“The Divisions have issued rulings declaring them as nuisance. They may file before Commission en banc. Whatever the decision of the en banc (it will be) final and executory, except if the Supreme Court issues a TRO (temporary restraining order). There’s still a remedy for the 47,” Garcia said.
Out of the 185 bets who filed their Certificates of Candidacy (COCs) for senators last month, 117 were subject to petitions to be declared nuisance candidates.
The other 66 candidates have been included in the partial/initial list of senatorial bets.
Meanwhile, he said the poll body is ready to accept petitions to declare nuisance candidates or petitions to cancel candidacy in the Bangsamoro Parliamentary polls.
“Dito sa Comelec [main office] magfile ng petitions to declare as nuisance. Ang magreresolve ng lahat ng nuisance cases ay ang Comelec Divisions at en banc (File the petitions to declare as nuisance here at the Comelec main office. The Comelec Divisions and en banc will decide on nuisance cases),” Garcia said.
The petitions should be filed five days after the conclusion of the filing period which was last November 9.
A total 109 candidates have filed their COCs to run for parliamentary district representatives of the BARMM during the period which started on November 4. (PNA)