The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said that the name of Marikina City Mayor Marcy Teodoro still remains on the ballot as a candidate for congressman in the city's First District for the upcoming May 2025 elections amid the agency's 1st Division's decision to cancel his certificate of candidacy (COC) last year.
Comelec Chairperson George Garcia explained that Teodoro's name was not removed from the ballot because the Comelec en banc has not yet ruled on his motion for reconsideration regarding the Comelec 1st Division's decision to disqualify him as a candidate.
He emphasized that only a decision by the Comelec en banc with certificate of finality can remove a candidate's name from the ballot.
The agency began printing the ballots on Monday for the upcoming May elections.
In December of 2024, Garcia explained that the agency may overturn its earlier decision of disqualifying him as a candidate if he presents new arguments or evidence in his motion for reconsideration.
"Marami rin namang pagkakataon na pagkatapos makapagprisinta ng mga argumento sa motion for reconsideration ay puwedeng magkaroon ng reversal ang division (There are cases wherein after presenting new arguments in the motion for reconsideration, the division may reverse its earlier decision)," Garcia said, clarifying that the 1st Division's decision to disqualify Teodoro as a candidate is not yet final and executory and remains subject to a motion for reconsideration.
“Kapag nag-file, hindi puwedeng ipatupad ang desisyon ng Komisyon. Therefore, kung iyan po’y aabutin sa printing ng balota, makakasama pa ang pangalan ni Mayor Marcy doon sa balota (Once filed, the commission's decision cannot be implemented. Therefore, if the motion is still ongoing during the printing of ballots, Mayor Marcy's name will still be included in the ballots)," he explained.
According to the rules promulgated by the Comelec, particularly Comelec Resolution No. 11046, a motion to reconsider a resolution of a division of the Comelec can be filed within five days from receipt thereof, and the filing of the Motion for Reconsideration suspends the execution for implementation of the resolution.
Tuloy ang laban
Marikeños have earlier expressed their full support for the mayor following Comelec First Division's decision to cancel his COC, citing alleged material misinterpretation about his place of residence.
The residents took to social media to express their support for Teodoro and urged him to continue the fight for the truth and for his constituents.
"Naniniwala po kami hindi pahihintulutan ni Lord ang masama nilang balak sa inyo lalo na sa taumbayan. Patuloy kaming susuporta at naniniwala sa tapat nyong paglilingkod sa mga taga-Marikina (We believe that the Lord will not allow their bad intentions to happen to you and the people whom you have been serving. We will continue to support and believe in your honest service to us)," another resident posted.
The hashtag #ISupportMayorMarcy also became trending on social media after Comelec's cancellation of the mayor's COC.