Comelec chairman George Garcia said the supposed rival of House Speaker Martin Romualdez for the post of Leyte first district representative is an unregistered voter of Tacloban. 

Hence, the name of Romilda Bacale is not included in the ballot for the congressional race in the said district. 

Garcia made the clarification when asked to comment on a Facebook post asking why Bacale’s name is not found in the ballot leaving Romualdez unopposed. 

Garcia said the Election Registration Board (ERB) and the courts have denied her registration and that the decision has become final and executory. 

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“Hindi po sya registered voter ng Tacloban. Lumipat po siya from Sampaloc. Denied ng ERB at ng Courts. Naging final and executory ang decision po sa kanya,” Garcia said in a message to reporters. 

Meanwhile, the Comelec also adopted its Law Department’s recommendation to cancel the certificate of candidacy of Melody Anne Benitez for vice mayor of Caraga, Davao Oriental by virtue of a Civil Service Commission decision in 2010 that she is perpetually disqualified to hold public office. 

As a result, Benitez’s name will be removed from the certified list of candidates and official ballot for the 2025 elections. The Nacionalista Party is also “barred from fielding a substitute candidate for the said position” and that the perpetual disqualification of Benitez will be applied to all subsequent elections.

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