BY: ANGELICA ARQUERO
Celebrations in Benguet following the recent election victories were cut short when the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) announced the suspension of the proclamation of Congressman-elect Eric Yap.
The canvassing of votes concluded with the official announcement of winning candidates, including re-electionist Governor Melchor Diclas and Vice Governor Marierose Kepes-Fongwan.
However, when the results of the congressional race were set to be revealed, the mood shifted as the COMELEC made its unexpected announcement, halting the festivities.
Atty. Vanessa Roncal, Provincial Election Supervisor for COMELEC Benguet, read a statement outlining the suspension of Yap’s proclamation.
Yap’s supporters were left in stunned silence, but the Congressman-elect accepted the decision calmly, providing an explanation for the delay.
According to Yap, the suspension stemmed from disqualification cases, particularly a petition questioning his citizenship, which had been filed in 2022.
He assured his supporters that the issue had already been resolved and that the suspension was only temporary.
“First of all, it’s okay. What matters is that we won, 144,000, the biggest win, maybe in the history of Benguet. But again, the petitions, maybe the committee hasn’t decided yet because of the volume of cases filed, especially disqualification cases. But there’s nothing to worry about because this was already resolved back in 2022. Someone filed a case against my citizenship, now it’s citizenship again. But as they said, the suspension is just temporary,” Yap stated.
He remained optimistic, emphasizing that his work would not be hindered.
“We’ve already filed our response, submitted our birth certificate, and attached the decision from 2022 when we won. Now, we’re just waiting for the COMELEC to resolve this. I understand the COMELEC has a lot of cases to handle. We just need to give them time to sort everything out,” Yap added.
Yap also reassured his supporters that regardless of the suspension, he and his team would continue to serve the people of Benguet. “Even if we’re not proclaimed yet, we’re still congressmen, and we still have a duty to serve and perform.”
Governor Melchor Diclas, a close ally of Yap, expressed disappointment over the suspension but remained hopeful for a quick resolution.
“The feeling isn’t good. We saw that he won, and the margin was huge, of course, that’s a result of hard work. We can’t blame the COMELEC, but of course, we wish that he would be proclaimed soon. I expect that as soon as possible, Congressman Yap will be proclaimed,” Diclas said.
Atty. Vanessa Roncal, Assistant Regional Election Director for COMELEC Benguet, confirmed that all procedures were followed, and a copy of the suspension order had been provided to Yap.
She expressed satisfaction with Yap’s understanding of the situation.
“The suspension of Yap’s proclamation was approved by the COMELEC en banc,” Roncal concluded.
The delay in Yap’s proclamation has not dampened his resolve, and both Yap and his supporters are awaiting a resolution from the COMELEC.
