Comelec upholds ruling to unseat Aurora vice governor
CABANATUAN CITY—The Commission on Elections (Comelec) en banc upheld the decision of its First Division to disqualify Aurora Vice Gov. Gerardo Noveras as a candidate during the 2022 elections.
In its decision on Wednesday, the poll body denied the motion for reconsideration filed by Noveras based on “merits rather than technicalities.”
Noveras ran and won as vice governor of Aurora during the election on May 9 last year, defeating his lone rival, Narciso Amansec, the former vice mayor of Dipaculao town.
The Comelec’s decision stemmed from a case filed by Amansec against Noveras on April 26 last year.
Noveras was accused of using his position when he was still the governor of Aurora to utilize the province’s facilities and resources for his campaign as vice governor.
According to the Comelec, there was proof that a provincial government casual employee was caught printing campaign materials for Noveras inside the Aurora Training Center compound, which is owned by the provincial government, citing video footage.
In its ruling, the Comelec en banc cited Section 261(e) of the Omnibus Election Code that prohibits any person from using a fraudulent device in campaigns.
Noveras had yet to comment on the poll body’s latest ruling.
In the decision of the Comelec First Division that was released in July last year, it found that Noveras “orchestrated a deceptive scheme” involving the casual worker at the provincial capitol “to carry out actions in favor of his candidacy,” including printing campaign materials for Noveras using government assets and facilities.
Amansec was killed in an ambush by unidentified gunmen in October last year. Amansec’s wife and their driver also died in the attack staged while they were traveling along the provincial road in Dipaculao’s Dibutunan village.
Amansec’s family, in a statement on Thursday, welcomed the poll body’s decision.
“This Comelec decision marks a turning point in the quest for justice for the Amansec family, bringing to light the importance of upholding electoral integrity and ethical governance,” the family said.
