The Supreme Court (SC) has reversed the decision of the Commission on Elections to disqualify a candidate for councilor in San Juan City’s first district.
In a copy of the ruling posted by San Juan Mayor Francis Zamora on Facebook, the SC en banc annulled and set aside on February 25 the resolutions of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) that cancelled the certificate of candidacy (COC) of Florendo De Ramos Ritualo Jr. for Sangguniang Panlungsod Member.
The Office of the SC Spokesperson confirmed the development on Wednesday.
The decision stemmed from the petition filed by Annaliza Telada before the Comelec, alleging that Ritualo is not a resident of San Juan.
In December 2024, the Comelec Second Division granted the petition and cancelled Ritualo’s COC.
Ritualo then appealed to the SC, which made permanent the temporary restraining order it issued against the Comelec resolution on January 14.
In its ruling, the SC said there was no substantial evidence that Ritualo intentionally made a false and deceptive representation regarding his residence qualifications in his COC.
The SC also said that Ritualo presented extensive evidence that he lives in the city.
“All told, Comelec Second Division gravely erred in cancelling Ritualo’s COC on the basis of Telada’s bare allegations and its failure to appreciate the evidence presented,” the SC said.
“While the right to run for office is not absolute, it remains a substantive right of a citizen, which warrants protection under the principle of due process and the general dictates of the Constitution,” it added. — VBL, GMA Integrated News
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