BAGUIO CITY — The First Division of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has canceled the Certificate of Candidacy (CoC) of a mayoral candidate for Tayum, Abra, citing failure to meet the required one-year residency in the municipality.
According to a resolution issued by Comelec, mayoral candidate Kathlia Elite Alcantara Quizon was unable to prove her required residency in Tayum prior to filing her CoC for the National and Local Elections (NLE) 2025.
As a result, Comelec granted the petition filed by Tayum resident Jomar Castillo, arguing that Quizon made a material misrepresentation by falsely stating that she had resided in the town for "43 years and four months" up until the day before the election.
The resolution noted, "Petitioner averred that, contrary to Respondent's statement in her CoC, the latter has not been a resident of Tayum since she left for Manila and maintained her domicile there." Castillo further pointed out that Quizon was only registered as a voter on 20 March 2024.
On 21 August 2024, Castillo filed a Petition for Exclusion from the list of permanent voters against Quizon. The 2nd Municipal Circuit Trial Court (MCTC) of Tayum-Peñarrubia, Abra granted the petition on 4 September 2024. Quizon appealed the decision to the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 58 in Bucay, Abra, which reversed the MCTC ruling on 1 October 2024, reinstating her name on the permanent list of voters for Tayum.
Subsequently, on 13 October 2024, Castillo filed a Petition with the Comelec's First Division to "deny due course to or cancel" Quizon’s CoC.
In her defense, Quizon denied the allegations of material misrepresentation, asserting that Tayum was her domicile of origin and that she had never intended to abandon it. She also argued that her residency period did not affect her eligibility, claiming compliance with the law’s minimum one-year residency requirement.
However, the Comelec sided with Castillo, agreeing that Quizon lost her domicile in Tayum when she moved to Manila and established her residence there.
Castillo also noted that Quizon did not own any business or property in Tayum, supported by a certification from the municipal treasurer of Tayum in July 2024 confirming the absence of any business or real property registered under her name.
As a result, the Comelec cancelled Quizon’s CoC, finding the petitioner’s arguments credible.
Meanwhile, the First Division of Comelec dismissed a petition to disqualify Pidigan mayoral candidate Artemio Donato Jr., stating that there was no evidence of material misrepresentation in his CoC filing.