Comelec Chairman George Garcia presides over the Raffle of Party-List Groups and Organizations or Coalitions' Order in the Official Ballot for the 2025 National and Local Elections  held at the Chairman's Hall, Palacio del Gobernador, Intramuros, Manila  on October 18, 2024. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File

MANILA -- The Commission on Elections (Comelec) Task Force Baklas filed several disqualification petitions (DQ) against more than 20 candidates for the 2025 National and Local Elections (NLE) including one senatorial bet.

Atty. Frances Arabe, head of Task Force Baklas, led the filing on Tuesday before the Clerk of the Commission.

A document released to media, containing names of candidates facing disqualification, showed that senatorial candidate Eric Morales Martinez is included in the list.

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Task Force Baklas also filed DQ charges against the following candidates:

- Ma. Jeca Burgos Villanueva VICE MAYOR TAYTAY, RIZAL 

- Niño Anthony Liwanag Magno VICE MAYOR NCR - CITY OF MANILA 

- Estregan Peralta Cayton MEMBER, SANGGUNIANG BAYAN TAYTAY, RIZAL 

- Allan Pineda Onofre MEMBER, SANGGUNIANG BAYAN MEXICO, PAMPANGA 

- Ronaldo Marcelo Tibayan, Jr. MEMBER, SANGGUNIANG BAYAN PULILAN, BULACAN 

- Salvador "Bogs" Dungao Violago GOVERNOR BULACAN 

- Angela Lei "Chi" Ilagan Atienza Valdepenas VICE MAYOR CITY OF MANILA, NCR 

- Christopher Felipe Clemente MAYOR BALIWAG, BULACAN 

- John Ervic Manalo Vijandre MEMBER, SANGGUNIANG PANLUNGSOD 1ST DISTRICT, CITY OF SAN JUAN, NCR 

- Gerardo Enriquez Gamez MEMBER, SANGGUNIANG PANLUNGSOD FOURTH DISTRICT, CITY OF MANILA 

- Raco Paolo Sundiam Del Rosario MEMBER, SANGGUNIANG PANLUNGSOD FIRST DISTRICT, ANGELES CITY, PAMPANGA 

- Shiwen Pamintuan Lim MEMBER, SANGGUNIANG PANLALAWIGAN THIRD DISTRICT, PAMPANGA 

- Wilhelmino Manucdoc Sy-Alvarado GOVERNOR BULACAN 

- Jose Cortes Daluz III VICE MAYOR CITY OF CEBU, CEBU 

- Gerald James Vergara Cruz MEMBER, SANGGUNIANG BAYAN LONE DISTRICT, TAYTAY, RIZAL 

- Jan Gerick Galido Francisco MEMBER, SANGGUNIANG BAYAN LONE DISTRICT, TAYTAY, RIZAL 

- Emmanuel "Manet" Santos Gonzaga MEMBER, SANGGUNIANG BAYAN LONE DISTRICT, TAYTAY, RIZAL 

- Inigo Marco "Bonggit" Cruz Jurado MEMBER, SANGGUNIANG BAYAN LONE DISTRICT, TAYTAY, RIZAL 

- Jan Allyson Villarez Lopez MEMBER, SANGGUNIANG BAYAN LONE DISTRICT, TAYTAY, RIZAL 

- Ronwaldo Cruz Angeles MEMBER, SANGGUNIANG PANLUNGSOD 1ST DISTRICT, CITY OF PASIG, NCR 

- Elimar Ventura MEMBER, SANGGUNIANG BAYAN MEXICO, PAMPANGA 

- Maria Lourdes "Madir" Mamawan Alejandrino MAYOR ARAYAT, PAMPANGA 

- Niko Pangan Gonzales MEMBER, SANGGUNIANG BAYAN LONE DISTRICT, MAGALANG, PAMPANGA

In a news forum in Manila on Wednesday, Comelec chairman George Garcia said the poll body will not proclaim candidates with pending disqualification petitions.

“Basta po may merit ang kaso, basta po mabigat ang mga ebidensiya - hindi po namin ipoproklama yung mga kandidatong humaharap sa disqualification cases sa amin upang hindi po kami mawalan ng jurisdiction, tutal nasa kapangyarihan po namin yan,” Garcia told reporters.

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Garcia admitted, however, that the Commission may not be able to resolve all pending DQ and election offense cases before May 12.

According to Garcia, it hopes to decide on all cases before the poll body 3-months after this year’s midterm polls.