Comelec blocks Marikina Mayor Marcy Teodoro’s congressional bid in 2025

MANILA, Philippines – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) canceled Marcelino “Marcy” Teodoro’s certificate of candidacy (COC) for Marikina 1st district representative for supposedly committing material misrepresentation in relation to his place of residence. 

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

In its ruling, the poll body ruled that the Marikina mayor failed to prove that he was a resident of the 1st district at least one year before the May 2025 polls. 

The 1987 Constitution states that a congressional aspirant must be a resident of the district he intends to serve not less than one year before election day.

Two notarized legal documents submitted by Teodoro — one in July and another in September this year — showed he maintained legal residence in Barangay Tumana in the 2nd district of Marikina. 

“Respondent’s argument that it was his legal counsel that drafted these pleadings and who made use of this temporary residence in said pleadings was flimsy at best,” the ruling read.

“Respondent cannot just casually pass the blame to his counsel who, first and foremost, would not have indicated the said address in the pleadings were it not for his representation that he resides therein,” it added. 

Teodoro tried to establish that he had been residing in Barangay San Roque in the 1st district since April by submitting approved transfer of voter records, invoices from a water supplier, and a statement of account from a cable provider, but the commission said those were inconclusive of his physical residence. 

The poll body asserted that Teodoro committed material misrepresentation, a ground for the cancellation of his COC under the Omnibus Election Code. 

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

He has been the city mayor since 2016 but is term-limited for 2025.

Teodoro was also Marikina’s 1st district lawmaker from 2007 to 2016.

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

The Comelec said there was nothing wrong with his “flip-flopping transfer of voter registration and residence” but he was unable to convince the poll body that he was able to establish his residence back to the 1st district in April 2024. 

“Respondent must provide sufficient proof that he has re-established his residence in his domicile of origin for a period of not less than one year immediately preceding the day of the 2025 elections. By declaring in his COC the contrary, despite knowing fully well that he did not meet the minimum residency requirement, Respondent committed material misrepresentation which this commission (1st Division) cannot countenance,” the resolution added.

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