A day before the Commission on Elections (Comelec) starts the reprinting of ballots for the May 12, 2025 elections, the Supreme Court (SC) issued on Tuesday, Jan. 21, temporary restraining orders (TROs) that allowed the participation of two more candidates.
During a press conference, SC Spokesperson lawyer Camille Sue Mae L. Ting said TROs were issued in favor of Francis Leo Antonio Marcos, a senatorial aspirant who was declared a nuisance candidate, and Noel E. Rosal, whose certificate of candidacy for governor of Albay was cancelled due to his dismissal by the Office of the Ombudsman which also ordered his perpetual disqualification to hold public office.
With the TROs which are immediately executory, Marcos and Rosal will be included in the official list of candidates.
In the case of Marcos, the Comelec was ordered to comment on his petition within five days. In the case of Rosal, the Comelec and Josefino Valenzuela Dioquino, who filed the case before the poll body, were also given five days to comment.
Earlier, the SC had issued TROs in favor of nine candidates for their inclusion in the May 12 elections.
The recipients of the other TROs issued last week and last Monday, Jan. 20, were:
- Jonas C. Cortes whose certificate of candidacy (COC) for mayor of Mandaue City was cancelled by the Comelec.
- Mary Grace R. David, a candidate for vice mayor of Limay, Bataan. Her petition for substitution and inclusion in the official list of candidates were dismissed.
- Mary Dominique A. Onate, a candidate for mayor of Palompon, Leyte, and who was declared a nuisance candidate.
- Aldrin B. Sta. Ana, a candidate for mayor of Bocaue, Bulacan, and whose name was deleted as candidate.
- Subair Guinthum Mustapha, a senatorial candidate, who had been declared a nuisance candidate.
- Charles Savellano, a congressional candidate for the First District of Ilocos Sur and who had been declared a nuisance candidate.
- Chito Bulatao Balintay, a candidate for governor of Zambales and whose certificate of candidacy was rejected.
- Edgar R. Erice, a candidate for a congressional seat in Caloocan City’s Second District and who had been disqualified as candidate.
- Florendo de Ramos Ritualo Jr., a candidate for the Sangguniang Panglungsod member in San Juan City’s First District and whose certificate of candidacy (COC) was cancelled.