Manila: The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has cancelled the certificate of candidacy (COC) of Albay Governor Noel Rosal in the 2025 midterm elections for misrepresentation. This decision marks a significant development in the political landscape of Albay, raising questions about electoral integrity and candidate qualifications.

According to Philippines News Agency, the Comelec's Second Division issued a 12-page decision on October 21, which was made public on Tuesday. The decision granted a petition filed by Adrian Loterte, a resident of Ligao City, Albay, who sought the cancellation of Rosal's COC.

The decision declared that the votes cast in Rosal's favor are now considered stray, implying that they do not contribute to his candidacy. The ruling highlighted Rosal's misrepresentation in his COC, where he claimed eligibility to run despite a prior conviction by the Office of the Ombudsman for grave misconduct on June 18, 2024, which had led to his dismissal from service.

The ruling emphasized that Rosal's false declaration in his COC constituted a material misrepresentation, as it falsely suggested his qualification to run for office. By signing and swearing to the truthfulness of his COC, Rosal's deliberate misrepresentation was seen as misleading to the electorate regarding his eligibility as governor.

Although the ruling is significant, it remains appealable before the Comelec en banc. Rosal's previous victory in the May 12 gubernatorial race, where he garnered 404,015 votes against his closest rival, former Albay governor Joey Salceda, who received 394,822 votes, adds another layer of complexity to the situation.