MANILA – The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) Second Division has declared incumbent Rep. Bienvenido “Benny” Abante Jr. as the duly elected congressman for Manila’s 6th District, following the disqualification of his opponent Luis “Joey” Chua Uy over citizenship issues.
The ruling, issued on June 18 and publicly released the following day, stemmed from a petition filed by Abante challenging Uy’s eligibility to run for public office. According to the COMELEC, Uy failed to meet the constitutional requirement of being a natural-born Filipino citizen, as his father was not a natural-born citizen at the time of his birth.
In its decision, the Second Division stated that Uy’s Certificate of Candidacy (COC) was void ab initio, effectively rendering his entire candidacy null and void. As a result, all votes cast in his favor—totaling 64,746 in the May 2025 polls—were considered stray. Abante, who received 63,358 votes, was then proclaimed the winning candidate.
The proclamation was issued around 3:18 p.m. on June 19, according to a report by the Philippine News Agency.
“This is a victory not just for me, but for the rule of law,” Abante said in a statement following the decision. “Only natural-born citizens are qualified to serve in Congress. We must uphold the Constitution at all times.”
Despite the declaration, COMELEC emphasized that the decision is not yet final and executory. Uy has five days from receipt of the ruling to file a motion for reconsideration before the COMELEC en banc, or to elevate the matter to the Supreme Court. Until a certificate of finality is issued, no formal oath-taking or assumption of office can occur.
COMELEC spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco explained that the commission cannot issue a final certificate or conduct a formal proclamation unless all legal remedies available to Uy have been exhausted or waived.
Uy has not yet issued a public statement in response to the decision.
The case marks a high-profile example of the importance of strict compliance with eligibility requirements for public office, especially in close electoral contests. Should the ruling stand, Abante will continue serving as representative of a district encompassing the Manila neighborhoods of Sta. Ana, Pandacan, Paco, San Miguel, and Santa Mesa.
