CAPIZ – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has officially canceled the candidacy of Receliste “Tanoy” Escolin, incumbent mayor of President Roxas, citing a violation of the constitutional three-term limit for local officials.
The decision, issued by the Comelec First Division on July 14, 2025, came just two weeks after Escolin began what he claimed was his fourth consecutive term in office.
The 22-page ruling stated that Escolin “was fully aware that he had served three consecutive terms as mayor of President Roxas, Capiz, yet he nonetheless declared in his Certificate of Candidacy (COC) to run for the same position.” The Comelec deemed this a material misrepresentation — a serious breach of election laws.
Presiding Commissioner Aimee Ferolino, together with Commissioners Ernesto Ferdinand Maceda Jr. and Maria Norina Tangaro-Casingal, emphasized the importance of upholding electoral regulations. They warned that allowing any official to bypass term limits would erode democratic principles and accountability.
Escolin was proclaimed winner in the most recent elections by the Comelec-Capiz and officially assumed office on June 30, 2025.
In response to the ruling, Escolin went live on Facebook to announce his plan to file a motion for reconsideration. He argued that his candidacy is valid due to an interruption in his previous term, citing a three-month suspension imposed by the Office of the Ombudsman from February to May 2024, during which he was barred from performing his duties.
Under the Omnibus Election Code and the Local Government Code, local officials are limited to serving three consecutive terms — or a maximum of nine years — to encourage political turnover and prevent power from becoming entrenched in one individual or administration.
The Comelec ruling is expected to prompt legal debates and possibly set a precedent for similar term-limit cases nationwide./PN
