Comelec upholds decision barring Mangudadatu from running for Sultan Kudarat governor
THE COMMISSION on Elections (Comelec) has denied the appeal of Datu Pax Ali S. Mangudadatu to reverse a division ruling that disallowed him from running for governor of Sultan Kudarat province.
In a resolution dated May 2, the Comelec en banc affirmed the First Division ruling canceling Mr. Mangudadatu’s certificate of candidacy (CoC) for misrepresenting his residency.
“It was emphatically pointed out in the assailed resolution that when respondent filed on October 7, 2021 his CoC for Governor of Sultan Kudarat for the May 9, 2022 national and local elections, ‘he was still the incumbent Mayor of the municipality of Datu Abdullah Sangki,” according to a copy of the resolution sent to reporters.
The town of Datu Abdullah Sangki is within the province of Maguindanao.
The local government code mandates that a qualified candidate for those vying for local posts must be “a resident therein for at least one year immediately preceding the day of the elections” in the district where he intends to be elected.
Mr. Mangudadatu, while serving as mayor of a town in a different province, claimed in his CoC that he was a resident of Purok Garden in Sultan Kudarat for at least one year and eight months.
The election agency said that his claim was contrary to the facts and his eligibility to run for office could not be accepted.
“Therefore, the Commission (First Division) correctly found that respondent (Mr. Mangudadatu) committed false material representation under Section 78 of the Omnibus Election Code in his subject CoC,” the Comelec full court said.
Election Commissioner George G. Garcia inhibited himself from the lawsuit, as one of the parties involved was his client, he noted in the resolution.
Only one candidate is left for Sultan Kudarat governor, Bai Sharifa A. Mangudadatu, a former beauty pageant title holder and wife of Maguindanao Representative Esmael “Toto” G. Mangudadatu.
The law provides that unopposed candidates only need at least one vote to be declared winner. — John Victor D. Ordoñez
