Election body bars Marikina Mayor Marcy Teodoro from running for Congress in 2025 after failing to establish residency in the city’s First District, which he seeks to represent next year

MANILA, Philippines – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has canceled the certificate of candidacy (COC) of Marcelino “Marcy” Teodoro for the representative of the 1st district of Marikina for allegedly making a false declaration regarding his place of residence.

The Comelec 1st Division on Wednesday, December 11, granted the consolidated petitions filed against him by various individuals, including his 2025 opponent, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III.

In its decision, the electoral body ruled that the mayor of Marikina had not proven that he resided in the 1st district at least one year before the May 2025 elections.

The 1987 Constitution states that a candidate for Congress must reside in the district he or she intends to serve at least one year before Election Day.

Two notarized legal documents submitted by Teodoro – one in July and another in September this year – show that he has maintained his legal residence in Barangay Tumana, Marikina 2nd District.

“Defendant’s argument that it was his legal counsel who drafted these pleadings and who used this temporary residence in said pleadings was flimsy at best,” the judgment states.

“The defendant cannot simply blame his lawyer who, above all, would not have indicated the said address in the pleadings if he had not stated that he resides there,” he adds.

Teodoro attempted to establish that he had been residing in Barangay San Roque in the 1st District since April by submitting an approved transfer of voter records, bills from a water supplier and a statement from a cable company, but the commission said these documents were inconclusive. of his physical residence.

The electoral body claimed that Teodoro committed a material misrepresentation, grounds for cancellation of his COC under the Omnibus Election Code.

Teodoro, who boasts an undefeated electoral record, has been a fixture in Marikina politics since 1992, when he was elected councilor.

He has been mayor of the city since 2016, but his term is limited to 2025.

Teodoro also served as the legislator for Marikina’s 1st District from 2007 to 2016.

One of the petitioners claimed that Teodoro, a longtime resident of the 1st District, had requested to transfer his residence to the 2nd District in February in preparation for his 2025 congressional bid, but decided to return to the 1st district after realizing that the chances of winning the elections there were low.

Comelec said there was nothing wrong with its “voluntary transfer of voter registration and residency,” but it failed to convince the election body that it was able to establish his residence in the 1st district in April 2024.

“The respondent must provide sufficient proof that he or she has re-established residence at his or her original domicile for a period of at least one year immediately preceding Election Day 2025. By declaring otherwise in his or her COC, even if he knew full well that he did not meet the minimum residency requirements, the defendant committed a material misrepresentation which this commission (1st Division) cannot approve,” the resolution adds.

The decision is not yet final and Teodoro can still challenge the decision before the Comelec en banc. If his appeal fails, he could also go to the Supreme Court. – Rappler.com