Comelec files disqualification case vs Cagayan de Oro bet

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has filed a disqualification case against a barangay chairperson in Cagayan de Oro allegedly behind the issuance of over 8,000 barangay certificates that caused an "unusual" influx in voter registrations for the 2025 national and local elections (NLE).

In a 16-page petition lodged by its law department, the poll body said Barangay Carmen chairperson Raineir Joaquin Velez Uy, who is gunning for a seat in the House of Representatives in next year's polls, "willfully and maliciously employed the fraudulent scheme of issuing barangay certifications even to non-residents of Barangay Carmen to influence and induce them to register as voters in the said barangay, to purposely give due advantage to his candidacy for the 2025 NLE and BPE."

"Wherefore, premises considered, it is most respectfully prayed of this Honorable Commission to disqualify Respondent Raineir Joaquin Velez Uy from being a candidate for the position of Member, House of Representatives, 1st District, Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental, pursuant to Section 68 of the Omnibus Election Code, in relation to Section 261 (e) of the same Code," the petition read.

The Comelec en banc last week adopted the recommendations of a specialized task force for the alleged fraudulent and anomalous voter registration in Barangay Carmen.

An investigation found that the total number of registered voters in Barangay Carmen soared to 56,837 in November 2024 from 32,218 in October 2023, or an average 44.41% increase in voters. Of the figures, a total of 8,218 or 37.60% of the applicants registered with barangay certificates that Uy allegedly issued.

As narrated in the petition, Uy provided the process and requirements which were observed in the issuance of barangay certifications: 

• the applicant for a Barangay Certification must have secured a Zone Clearance issued by the sitio leader; or a certification from the Homeowners Association, if the applicant is a resident of a subdivision.
• present valid IDs or any government ID before issuance of a Zone Clearance.
• once the Zone Clearance is secured, the applicant should proceed to the Barangay Hall and submit to the in-charge or desk officer his/her documents for verification. This includes verification of the Zone Clearance, and presentation of valid IDs or utility bills.

However, the Comelec Law Department said Uy admitted to not always calling a person in the area, or the zone leader who issued the zone clearance to verify whether the applicants are residents of Barangay Carmen.

“The implausible influx of application for registration in Barangay Carmen alone, unexplainable number of applicants who used barangay certifications issued by Respondent in support of their application for registration, the procedure done for issuance of barangay certifications marked inconsistencies irregularities, and the sizable number of applicants which failed to substantiate their qualifications as voters despite being issued barangay certifications, are all badges of fraud attributed to the Respondent,” the petition said.

"Respondent is in the best position to derive a personal benefit as candidate from acts made in his official capacity as barangay chairman," the Comelec said in the petition.

"There is no other logical reason for his acts other than to purposely and intentionally favor and further his candidacy," it added.

GMA News Online has reached out to Uy for comment on the disqualification case.

Several lawmakers, including Cagayan de Oro Representative Lordan Suan, earlier expressed alarm over reports of alleged anomalous increases in new voters in the 2025 polls, and in areas such as Batangas, Makati, and Nueva Ecija, among others. She also wrote a letter to the Comelec regarding alleged voter registration anomalies in her province.

The Comelec previously said it has formed a task force to look into the issue. — VDV, GMA Integrated News