THE proclamation of Bienvenido “Benny” Abante as the representative of Manila’s 6th District is currently on hold, despite a Comelec Second Division ruling declaring his victory.
Comelec Chair George Erwin Garcia clarified on Thursday that the decision, which voided the candidacy of Luis “Joey” Chua Uy, is not yet final and executory. Uy still has a five-day window to appeal the ruling, leaving the outcome of the election uncertain.
Garcia emphasized that any action, including the annulment of a proclamation, remains subject to appeal until a final and executory decision is issued by the Comelec. Only upon the issuance of a Certificate of Finality and Entry of Judgment will the Comelec’s decision be considered binding and enforceable.
The Comelec’s earlier 22-page ruling in favor of Abante stemmed from a petition challenging Uy’s citizenship.
Abante’s petition argued that Uy could not claim natural-born citizenship due to his father’s citizenship status at the time of his birth.
This legal challenge highlights the complexities of election processes and the potential for protracted legal battles to affect the final outcome of elections.
The situation underscores the importance of due process and the need for all legal challenges to be fully resolved before a final determination can be made regarding the representation of Manila’s 6th District.
metrosundaily
