Comelec voids Silang, Cavite mayoral win over Ombudsman disqualification ruling

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Kevin Anarna's lawyer calls the Comelec decision 'vulgarly illegal' and 'procedural travesty'

CAVITE, Philippines – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) en banc has nullified the proclamation of Kevin Anarna as the winner in the mayoral race in Silang, Cavite, citing a disqualification case stemming from an earlier decision by the Office of the Ombudsman.

Anarna, who had been proclaimed as mayor-elect after the May 2025 midterm elections, was disqualified on the grounds that he had been found guilty of grave misconduct and serious dishonesty by the Ombudsman in October 2024. The ruling imposed dismissal from service and perpetual disqualification from holding public office.

Under the Comelec en banc’s decision, the candidate with the next highest number of valid votes will be proclaimed mayor of Silang, one of Cavite’s wealthiest municipalities.

“As a constitutional commission, it is our duty to preserve the sanctity of the elections and ensure that only qualified and eligible individuals are allowed to run for public office,” the Comelec en banc stated in its ruling.

Anarna’s camp decried the ruling, calling the process “vulgarly illegal” and a violation of his constitutional rights.

“This is of course not only vulgarly illegal, but a gross violation of the constitutional right to due process of Mayor Anarna. In fact, this procedural travesty has never ever happened in the history of the Comelec,” said lawyer Emil Marañon, Anarna’s legal counsel, in a statement on Thursday, June 19.

Marañon added that Anarna was unseated motu proprio by the poll body, based on a suit filed by his rival, Mayor Edward “Ted” Carranza.

He said the Comelec move was based on an “equally erroneous” decision of the Ombudsman dated October 9, 2024, which was contested before the Court of Appeals (CA). 

“Obviously, candidates can be ‘disqualified’ only on the basis of a final decision,” said Marañon.

He said they would bring the matter to the Supreme Court and file a petition for certiorari, adding that they were “very confident that this will easily be reversed.”

Anarna pulled off an upset in the May elections, defeating Carranza, former mayor Omil Poblete, and independent candidate Mariano Ambulo Jr. in a four-way race.

Based on data from the Comelec media server, Anarna of the National Unity Party (NUP) led the race with 54,787 votes, accounting for 34.51% of Silang’s total registered voters.

Carranza of the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) came in second with 40,447 votes (25.47%), followed by Partido ng Masang Pilipino (PMP)’s Poblete with 34,154 (21.51%). Ambulo placed fourth with 1,691 votes (1.07%).

Anarna’s running mate, Kidlat Reyes, was also proclaimed vice mayor-elect. – Rappler.com