Comelec rejects residency transfer bid of ex-Taguig mayor Lino Cayetano

MANILA, Philippines — Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) Election Registration Board (ERB) rejected the attempt of former Taguig Mayor Lino Cayetano for residency transfer in an area where he is running to become a House representative of.

Cayetano and his wife wanted to transfer their residence from the 2nd District of Taguig to the 1st District of Taguig-Pateros.

However, the ERB, in its 24-page ruling dated Oct 28, said: “WHEREFORE, premises considered, the applications of Lino Edgardo S. Cayetano and Fille Saint Merced C. Cayetano for transfer of registration records are hereby disapproved for not having fully-satisfied the requirement of residency [as] mandated by law.”

Cayetano already filed his certificate of candidacy to become a Taguig-Pateros representative.

Asked as to how the ERB ruling would affect Cayetano’s bid, Comelec chairman George Erwin Garci said “it’s premature to answer.”

“There are still remedies he can avail, hence its improper to speculate at this point,” he told reporters in a Viber message on Wednesday.

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Cayetano and his wife Fille are registered voters under Barangay Fort Bonifacio but they want to be transferred to Barangay Ususan both in the city of Taguig.

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The couple said they have been living in Pacific Residences in Barangay Ususan for two years and five months, which is supposed to be enough to be granted residency.

But the ERB said the two personalities did not provide enough documentation that would prove their residence there.

“The Board is perplexed by the absence of any additional identification documents of the Applicants during the hearing,” it said.

Instead, the ruling said only passports were provided by Lino and Fille, which were issued to them in 2021 and 2018, respectively, or before their declaration of residency at Pacific Residences in 2022.

They also submitted a billing statement in the said address but only for the month of Oct. 2024, security logbook dated Oct. 14, 2024, certification of the residents property manager, as well as contract of lease and contract of sublease.