Tarlac City mayor to appeal disqualification
Published Oct 28, 2025 01:56 pm
YAP (FB)
DAGUPAN CITY - Tarlac City Mayor Susan Yap said Tuesday that she will appeal the Commission on Elections ruling disqualifying her.
She said that her mandate comes directly from the people.
Yap appealed to the public and election officials to uphold the will of the voters.
She said she is ready to present documents and evidence to refute an accusation that “borders on the ridiculous.”
Groups of Tarlaqueños have organized pocket rallies and vigils across multiple locations in the city to express support for Yap.
The League of Municipalities-Tarlac Chapter backed the mayor’s pursuit of legal remedies.
The sovereign will of the people, as expressed through the ballot is the paramount and ultimate expression of democratic choice, and that overturning such a mandate through technicalities undermines the very essence of our democratic processes and disenfranchises the electorate, they said.
They called on the Comelec en banc to reconsider its decision and give primacy to the sovereign will of the people of Tarlac City, ensuring their votes are respected, protected, and honored.
The Comelec en banc ruling reversed an April decision by its Second Division that dismissed the disqualification case against her for lack of substantial evidence.
The en banc later ruled that Yap failed to meet the one-year residency requirement in Barangay Tibag, Tarlac City.
Yap disputed this, presenting documents, IDs, photographs, and affidavits to show that she has been a resident of Tarlac City since 2014, the year she transferred her voter registration.
“A technicality once dismissed cannot erase a mandate freely given. Tarlac City is my home, my life, and my heart. Respect and uphold the people’s vote.”
The mayor, who served three consecutive terms as governor of Tarlac, noted that
her residency had never been questioned during her nine years in public service. “It is painful that some people are determined to prevent me from serving my fellow Tarlaqueños,” she said.
She said not a single official conducted an inspection of their family residence, which the petitioners claim looks like a warehouse and not a residence.
“Yes, there is a warehouse within our residence, but there is a perfectly functioning living space there as well. It’s open for inspection anytime, I would be very happy to lead a house tour,” Yap said.
She addressed criticism over her low-profile approach to governance, saying detractors claim she is rarely seen at fiestas, wakes, or public celebrations.
“My goal is to slowly weed out the performative, song-and-dance aspect of politics and elevate the standards of public service in Tarlac. We are voted in because of our capacity and dedication to serve, not because of theatrics.”
Yap said that the Comelec reversal could undermine democratic and constitutional principles.
“Comele must respect the public’s will,” she said. “If this is not corrected, this will lead to the disenfranchisement of Filipino voters. It’s a crucial blow to a basic, fundamental, and constitutionally guaranteed human right – the right of constituents to choose their leaders.”