Cebu Governor Pamela Baricuatro has been cleared to continue her term after the Commission on Elections (Comelec) First Division dismissed a disqualification petition filed against her.
The ruling, dated November 4, cited serious procedural lapses that rendered the complaint defective.
The petition was filed by Katrina Kaye Kowalik, former head of the Capitol’s social media unit Sugbo News. Kowalik alleged that Baricuatro violated provisions of the Fair Election Act and related Comelec resolutions during the May 12, 2025 national and local elections.
The complaint centered on a Facebook post claiming that Baricuatro led the gubernatorial race with 82 percent of the vote, which Kowalik argued constituted an election irregularity.
Comelec said Kowalik failed to follow mandatory procedural requirements under Comelec Resolution 11046. She did not attach Baricuatro’s Certificate of Candidacy, a key document for verifying the claims.
She also did not provide proof that the petition, along with all annexes, had been properly served to the governor.
The petitioner failed to execute an affidavit of service or submit evidence of delivery via registered mail or courier.
“Failure to comply with a mandatory requirement warrants the dismissal of the petition,” the First Division said in its order. The Commission emphasized that compliance with procedural rules is compulsory, and the lapses in the petition justified its outright dismissal.
Earlier this year, Baricuatro’s lawyer, Atty. Ferdinand Topacio, had already dismissed the petition as flawed during a June press briefing. He described the complaint as “legally and procedurally flawed,” noting that it was filed after Baricuatro’s proclamation, making it time-barred under Comelec rules.
Topacio also pointed out that there was no direct evidence linking the governor to the Facebook page.
He added that even if a violation of Comelec Resolution 11117 occurred, it does not automatically disqualify a candidate.
Also, he said, the act could be treated as an election offense punishable by fines or imprisonment, but it does not invalidate the electoral victory.
Cebu Province Assistant Administrator Aldwin Empaces confirmed on November 19 that the province had received the Comelec order.
He said the petition raised multiple points but was largely unsubstantial.
With the case now concluded, Baricuatro remains the duly elected governor of Cebu, a position she officially assumed on June 30.
The ruling brings closure to a legal challenge that had cast uncertainty over her administration for several months.
