ORMOC CITY — Ormoc City Mayor Lucy Torres-Gomez filed a petition with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) seeking to suspend the proclamation of former Court of Appeals Justice Vicente “Ching” Veloso, should he win Monday’s election, three days before the polls.

Gomez filed the “precautionary motion to suspend proclamation” on 9 May against Veloso, who is challenging her husband, Representative Richard Gomez, for the congressional seat of Leyte’s fourth district.

This move follows Gomez’s filing of a disqualification case against Veloso on 8 May, alleging violations of the Omnibus Election Code.

In her petition, Gomez cited Section 27 of the Omnibus Election Code, which prioritizes disqualification cases and mandates that Comelec decisions be rendered no later than seven days before the election.

“Considering that there are only three days left before the elections and the Petition for Disqualification is still pending before this Honorable Commission, Petitioner respectfully moves for the suspension of the proclamation of Respondent in the remote possibility that he receives the highest number of votes for the position of Representative of the Fourth District of Leyte in the 12 May 2025 National and Local Elections,” her petition stated.

In her 8 May petition to disqualify Veloso, Gomez cited a Facebook post in which Veloso allegedly made threatening statements.

Veloso reportedly said, “This is what they need to remember, because I am just putting the devil to sleep inside my body. Before, I used to go to Mass daily. But don’t make any effort to awaken the devil, and if the need arises for me to kill, I will kill.”

In a phone interview, Veloso told reporters that the latest case filed against him is a desperate attempt to prevent him from assuming office amid Richard Gomez’s impending defeat in the election.

“This is an admission that Richard will lose in the election and they are afraid to face the truth,” Veloso said.