Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

Manila City board of canvassers proclaims Benny Abante as representative of Manila’s 6th District on Tuesday, July 8, 2025. Job Manahan, ABS-CBN News

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Abante

Job Manahan

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:958px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1751938696933GvS9C1HboAAglp3.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Manila City board of canvassers proclaims Benny Abante as representative of Manila’s 6th District on Tuesday, July 8, 2025. <em>Job Manahan, ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA (<strong>2nd UPDATE</strong>) – Manila City&#x27;s board of canvassers on Tuesday proclaimed Bienvenido &quot;Benny&quot; Abante, Jr. as the representative of the city&#x27;s 6th District, which rival Joey Chua Uy described as &quot;unconstitutional.&quot; </p><p>Hundreds of Abante&#x27;s supporters flocked earlier this morning to Comelec-Manila&#x27;s field office and greeted the House lawmaker with cheers to congratulate his win. </p><p>In an interview with reporters, Abante said he was happy and his proclamation showed that the rule of law prevails. </p><p>&quot;Sa wakas, nanaig ang sinasabi ng batas. Rule of law ang tinatawag dito. Nanaig din ang nais ng ating constituents, ang mga tao talagang tumulong sakin,&quot; Abante said. </p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/7/7/comelec-insists-joey-uy-disqualification-final-orders-abante-proclamation-asap-1427?utm_source=dlvr.it&amp;utm_medium=facebook&amp;fbclid=IwY2xjawLZVcZleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETFqSDlDZGVqNm1ha21udGhGAR58blWw4OhZ1HrvYmD3EhQrPX0iHHrk90SEXHIVgy4n53D0Pu-zcDoKuW_pUg_aem_q8iwRHqXo07_X2txoN_ojA">Comelec finalizes Joey Uy disqualification, orders immediate Abante proclamation</a></div><p>But according to Edward Gialogo, Chua Uy&#x27;s legal counsel, the proclamation and the Comelec&#x27;s certificate of finality on Abante were unconstitutional. </p><p>&quot;The Comelec lost jurisdiction over the case at 12 noon on June 30, 2025 when Cong. Joey Uy assumed as Member of the House of Representatives,&quot; Gialogo told ABS-CBN  News. </p><p>&quot;That is consistent with Sec. 7, Art. VI of the Constitution which says that the beginning of the term is 12 noon of June 30 following the elections. Hence, the Certificate of Finality issued by Comelec… is illegal and unconstitutional,&quot; he added. </p><p>Gialogo said they have two pending petitions in the Supreme Court: a petition for certiorari and prohibition which would prevent Comelec from executing its resolution; and a mandamus to compel the House to recognize Chua Uy. </p><p>&quot;Kung pagbabasehan naman natin yung batas, hindi naman ito dapat mahirap kasi yung ganitong isyu, hindi naman first time na yung mga tao na katulad ni Cong. Joey ay na-question yung pagiging natural born citizen,&quot; Gialogo said in a phone interview. </p><p>&quot;Hindi naman ito dapat mahirap kung legal battle lang ito pero hindi kasi mukhang nagiging ganoon,&quot; he added. </p><p>He added that it was time to discuss the issue on citizenship at the House Electoral Tribunal. </p><p>&quot;Ang Comelec dapat wala nang jurisdiction so hindi na sila dapat naglalabas ng kahit anong certificate o order katulad ng ginawa nila kaninang proclamation,&quot; he said. </p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/6/20/joey-chua-uy-insists-he-is-filipino-after-comelec-non-candidate-ruling-1132">Joey Chua Uy insists he is Filipino after Comelec &#x27;non-candidate&#x27; ruling</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>&#x27;FORUM SHOPPING&#x27;</strong></div><p>Abante&#x27;s legal counsel, Romulo Macalintal, said they would wait for the decision of the Supreme Court. </p><p>&quot;Sinasabi niyang unconstitutional. Let the Supreme Court decide. Pero nakakapagtaka, napakadami niyang pinupuntahang venue. Pumunta na siya sa Korte Suprema, humihingi siya ng TRO, tas pupunta pa siyang Comelec,&quot; Macalintal told reporters. </p><p>&quot;Yan ay tinatawag nating forum shopping. Hindi ka puwedeng pumunta sa dalawang ahensya ng pamahalaan para humingi ng parehong remedies. Kaya yung kanyang ginagawa ngayon, maitatawag nating hindi ayon sa ating batas. Dahil kung naniniwala siya sa Korte Suprema, bakit siya nag-file ng manifestation sa Supreme Court para pigilin ang proclamation ngayon ni Cong. Abante,&quot; he added. </p><p>The election lawyer also downplayed Gialogo&#x27;s claims, saying there was nothing unconstitutional about the proclamation. </p><p>What Chua Uy has to answer, he said, is if he is really a natural-born Filipino. </p><p>&quot;Anong unconstitutional doon, eh Comelec en banc na nga mismo ang nag-render ng nasabing desisyon? Lahat naman ng ifinile na kaso ni Cong. Abante ay naaayon sa ating Saligang Batas sapagkat ang kasong yun ay may kaugnayan ng isang kandidatong hindi qualified – dapat siya ay natural-born Filipino citizen – yun ang constitutional issue, is he really a natural-born Filipino citizen,&quot; Macalintal said. </p><p>&quot;That is the most important issue here, hindi yung procedural matter. Hindi yung pamamaraan kung paano pinroclaim si Cong. Abante pero yung tunay na dahilan kung bakit nagkaroon ng ganitong uri ng kaso,&quot; he said. </p><p>Comelec Chairman George Garcia, for his part, said it was up to the Supreme Court to decide on the constitutionality of the proclamation, as well as the issuance of the certificate of finality. </p><p>Garcia said the en banc and the city board of canvassers are just doing their constitutional mandates.</p><p>&quot;Ang unang tanong, mayroon bang restraining order sa kasalukuyan. Kung wala, hindi naman mapipigilan ang Comelec na ipatupad ang kanyang desisyon dahil magiging remiss of our duty naman kung hindi magpapatupad ng duty na nakalagay din sa Saligang Batas,&quot; said Garcia. </p><p>The Comelec 2nd Division previously ruled that Chua Uy was not a natural-born citizen, but rather a &quot;naturalized citizen,&quot; contrary to his certificate of candidacy (COC).</p><p>Because of this, it said Chua Uy &quot;made a false declaration in his COC&quot; and therefore he made a &quot;material misrepresentation&quot; under the Omnibus Election Code. </p><p>On Monday, the Comelec issued a certificate of finality declaring its June 30 resolution as immediately executory under the Comelec rules of procedure.</p><p>An entry of judgment issued on the same day recorded the resolution in the &quot;Book of Entries of Judgment,&quot; formally closing the case at the commission level.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QMP2C-e8rvA?&amp;t=40s&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>The Manila City board of canvassers on Tuesday proclaimed Benny Abante as representative of Manila’s 6th District, following the nullification of the candidacy of Joey Uy.</p>

The Manila City board of canvassers on Tuesday proclaimed Benny Abante as representative of Manila’s 6th District, following the nullification of the candidacy of Joey Uy.

It's official: Benny Abante proclaimed as Manila 6th district rep

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It's official: Benny Abante proclaimed as Manila 6th district rep

Job Manahan,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jul 08, 2025 10:07 AM PHT

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Updated Jul 08, 2025 07:00 PM PHT

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