MANILA, Philippines?The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has barred Richard Gomez from running as fourth district representative of Leyte, saying the actor lacks the required one year residency to join the congressional race.

This as the poll body threw out for lack of merit a disqualification case against re-electionist Pasay City Mayor Wenceslao ?Peewee? Trinidad.

The Comelec first division, chaired by Commissioner Rene Sarmiento, ruled that Gomez had not resided in Ormoc City for a year prior to his filing of candidacy for him to qualify to represent Ormoc City in the House of Representatives.

Buenaventura Juntilla of Barangay Libertad, Ormoc City has petitioned the Comelec to disqualify Gomez, saying the actor is a resident of East Greenhills, San Juan City and not of Carlota Hills, Ormoc City as Gomez indicated in his certificate of candidacy.

Raymond Cajucom, legal counsel for Gomez, said they would appeal the ruling.

?The decision is not yet final. We would file a motion. Parang sa pelikula lang ito, nagpapabugbog muna ang bida pero sa huli ay magwawagi (It?s just like in a movie, the main actor will be mauled at first but in the end he will emerge victor),? said Cajucom.

Meanwhile, the Comelec ruled that the disqualification case filed against Trinidad on grounds of material misrepresentation lacked merit.

Trinidad welcomed the resolution, saying the case was just part of the ?nasty? strategies of his rivals to disrupt his campaign.

?The decision is just appropriate because we had the law and jurisprudence on our side. This disqualification cases is very typical form of harassment launched by my political opponents in which if they cannot fight you in the political battlefield, they look for other nasty methods,? Trinidad told INQUIRER.net.