Marikina Mayor Marcelino "Marcy" Teodoro remains a candidate for congressman of the city’s 1st District, as the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Monday, Jan. 27 resumed its ballot printing for the 2025 elections.
The printing was delayed for three weeks due to temporary restraining orders (TROs) issued by the Supreme Court (SC) on the petitions of several disqualified candidates.
Comelec Chairman George Garcia clarified that the names of candidates with pending motions and disqualifications, including Teodoro, were retained on the ballot.
“Hindi lang siya (Teodoro); iyong lahat ng kandidato na may pending motions, pending disqualification, hangga’t walang decision ang Commission En Banc ay kasama ang pangalan nila sa listahan. Kasama na rin po iyong nakakuha ng temporary restraining order (It's not just him [Teodoro]; all candidates with pending motions and pending disqualifications will have their names included on the list until the Commission En Banc makes a decision. This also includes those who have obtained a temporary restraining order),” Garcia said during a press conference at the National Printing Office (NPO).
“Hangga’t walang final and executory decision ang Comelec, lahat ng pangalan nila ay nandiyan. At kung walang desisyon pagdating ng araw eleksyon, lahat ng boto sa kanila ay will be considered as valid votes (As long as there is no final and executory decision from the Comelec, all their names will remain on the list. If there is no decision by the time of the election, all votes cast for them will be considered valid votes),” he added.
In a previous interview, Garcia said the body can only remove a candidate’s name from the ballot if the Comelec en banc’s decision becomes final with a corresponding certificate of finality.
He also previously raised the possibility that the Comelec en banc could reverse the division's decision if Teodoro can present new arguments or evidence in his motion for reconsideration.
In a Viber message, Garcia said that the Commission En Banc has yet to rule on Teodoro's case.
Garcia has said that he would inhibit himself from Teodoro's case since the mayor and the one who filed the petition, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III who is running for mayor of Marikina, are his former clients.
In December, the Comelec First Division granted the petition to cancel and/or deny due course the Certificate of Candidacy (COC) of Teodoro for the First Congressional District of the city.