3 days Ago By Herbie Gomez
CAGAYAN DE ORO, Philippines – Commission on Elections (Comelec) lawyers withdrew a petition seeking to disqualify Raineir Joaquin “Kikang” Uy, the son of Cagayan de Oro Mayor Rolando Uy, from the 2025 congressional race in the city’s 1st District. The petition, filed on Tuesday, December 17, came less than a month after the same legal team accused Kikang of election registration fraud tied to irregularities in voter registrations in Barangay Carmen, where Uy serves as barangay chairman. In a sharp reversal, the three-page motion signed by Comelec lawyers Maria Norina Tangaro-Casingal, Albert Leonard Rodriguez, and Persis del Camat-Dabalos, cited the need for further investigation.
“Recent information pertinent to the case was received by the petitioner (Comelec law department), and requires the re-assessment of the documents and evidence presented, as well as the further investigation of the matter if so warranted,” read part of their motion to withdraw the petition. The original petition , filed in late November, alleged an “implausible influx” of new voter applications in Barangay Carmen, the city’s largest and most politically pivotal barangay. The Comelec legal team pointed to an apparent scheme to inflate the district’s voter count — an allegation Kikang’s camp vehemently denied.
Kikang’s lawyers dismissed the accusations as speculative and baseless, asserting that no evidence showed people were coerced into registering as new voters in Carmen. The younger Uy, a former vice mayor and a prominent figure in the Uy family’s political dynasty , welcomed the development. “The Comelec law department’s decision to withdraw the petition highlights the significance of fairness and due process in our democracy,” Kikang said.
“From the very start, we called for the facts and evidence to prevail. We will remain focused on delivering meaningful service and moving forward together for the progress of Cagayan de Oro.” But the case, steeped in political undertones, refuses to fade quietly.
Uy’s camp has accused his main rival, incumbent 1st District Representative Lordan Suan, of orchestrating the petition to derail his congressional bid. Suan, who has denied any involvement in the Comelec’s move, previously called attention to what he described as a “suspicious surge” in voter registrations in Carmen. In July, he claimed over 15,000 individuals attempted to register in the barangay in just six months, many of them allegedly non-residents.
Uy’s team countered that the surge was overblown and that only 5% of applications were rejected, with most denials stemming from applicants’ failure to attend Election Registration Board hearings due to financial constraints. For decades, Barangay Carmen has served as the Uy family’s stronghold, its growing voter base shaping the political landscape of Cagayan de Oro. With the withdrawal of the Comelec petition, Kikang’s congressional bid appears more secure, potentially solidifying his family’s dominance in the district.
Still, questions linger over the integrity of voter registrations in the city, with Comelec’s re-assessment signaling that the issue may resurface in the lead-up to the May 2025 elections. – Rappler.com.
