SC issues TRO on Comelec disqualification vs Erice, others in Eleksyon 2025

The Supreme Court (SC) has issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) prohibiting the Commission on Elections (Comelec) from disqualifying former Caloocan City representative Edgar Erice and others from the May elections, according to SC spokesperson Atty. Camille Ting on Tuesday.

At a press conference, Ting said the SC ordered the poll body to comment on Erice’s petition within a non-extendible period of 10 days from receipt of notice.

Aside from Erice, she said the SC also granted a TRO in favor of two individuals who were declared as nuisance candidates, one whose application was denied by Comelec, and one whose certificate of candidacy was canceled by the poll body.

“The TROs prohibit Comelec from disqualifying them. So this means their names have to be included in the ballot. So it’s up to Comelec how they would implement this. But they will just have to follow the order of the SC,” Ting said.

On January 3, Erice asked the SC to issue a TRO or a writ of preliminary injunction to enjoin the Comelec from implementing its resolution on his disqualification.

In November, the Comelec disqualified Erice for violation of Section 261 of the Omnibus Election Code for supposedly spreading “false and alarming” information.

It affirmed his disqualification in a resolution released on December 27.

Sought for his comment, Comelec chairperson George Garcia said the poll body would have to find a way to comply with the High Court’s order.

“Part of the process. We will have to find a way to comply with the SC directive,” Garcia said in a message to reporters.

Garcia said he will call for a meeting with other officials to discuss whether the Comelec should suspend the printing of the ballots.

“The [election management system] will be changed including the database and we have to start again the serialization of each and every candidate's name nationwide,” he said.

The Comelec started printing the 73 million ballots to be used for the elections last January 6. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News