Disqualification case: Comelec says Arcilla can still campaign in Cebu City’s North District

Cebu City Councilor Alvin Arcilla /Cebu Daily News file photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines —There is no reason for Cebu City Councilor Alvin Arcilla to already cease from campaigning.

Lawyer Marchel Sarno, election officer for Cebu City’s North District, told Cebu Daily News Digital that Arcilla will continue to be considered an official candidate in the May 13 election until such time that the order for his disqualification becomes final and executory.

Sarno said that he is yet to receive a copy of the March 15 resolution from the Comelec First Division which ordered Arcilla’s disqualification.

Read More: Comelec bars Cebu City Councilor Arcilla from seeking fresh term

“Wala pa mi nakadawat sa resolution so dili pa gyod ta kaingon nga dili na siya kandidato,” said Sarno.

The campaign period for local candidates officially starts on Friday, March 29.

Read More: Arcilla to appeal Comelec First Division’s disqualification order

Sarno said that his office will continue to recognize Arcilla as an official candidate in the city’s north district pending resolution of the motion for reconsideration which he plans to file before the Comelec en banc.

“Hatagan man na silag five days (from receipt of a copy of the order) to file for a motion for reconsideration sa en banc. If madawat namo ang motion, then he can still continue his campaign,” Sarno told CDN Digital.

Sarno also said that even if the Comelec en banc would rule on Arcilla’s disqualification, his name will still be included in the list of north district candidates since ballots that will be used in the May 13 election were already printed.

However, he said, that all votes cast for Arcilla will be considered as “stray votes.” /dcb