SC affirms disqualification of 3 local officials

MANILA, Philippines — The Supreme Court affirmed the disqualification of three local officials for disbursing and releasing government funds during the prohibited period before a regular election in violation of the Omnibus Election Code/

Dismissed were Noel Rosal as Albay governor, Carmen Geraldine Rosal as mayor of Legazpi City and Jose Alfonso Barizo as councilor also of that city during the 2022 national and local elections.

The Supreme Court also dismissed the petition-in-intervention of former Albay governor Al Francis Bichara.

As to the petition-in-intervention of acting Legazpi mayor Oscar Robert Cristobal, pro hac vice (for this time only), the Court has directed the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to separately docket a disqualification proceeding against him to determine whether he is also disqualified for running as vice mayor in the 2022 polls, in view of his presence in the same cash assistance pay-outs during the prohibited period, alongside the other petitioners in the consolidated cases.

In the meantime, the Supreme Court has ordered that the Status Quo Ante-Order that it issued on May 11, 2023 be lifted with immediate effect.

Accordingly, the assailed Comelec Resolutions dated Oct. 4, 2022 and May 14, 2023 shall likewise immediately take effect.

The separate petitions challenge a Comelec resolution dated Sept. 4, 2024 that called for the disqualification of Mandaue City mayor Jonas Cortes, former governor Rosal, and Cebu City mayor Michael Rama from participating as candidates in the upcoming 2025 midterm elections following their respective dismissals by the Ombudsman, which included the accessory penalty of perpetual disqualification to hold public office.

The Court ordered that the cases be consolidated. It also issued a temporary restraining order against the Comelec, which was ordered to comment on the petitions.