Former Cebu City Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia welcomed the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) En Banc’s decision affirming the dismissal of a petition seeking to disqualify him over alleged violations during the 2025 mayoral elections.
In a statement released Friday, Oct. 30, Garcia said the ruling reinforced his position that he did not misuse government funds, property or resources for his campaign.
“From the very beginning, I have maintained that these allegations were unfounded and that I did nothing wrong,” Garcia said.
He acknowledged that the case had become moot and academic following the conclusion of the 2025 elections but said the En Banc’s resolution remained significant because it upheld the earlier dismissal and rejected the motion for reconsideration.
Garcia also said the ruling was important to his reputation, which he claimed had been affected by the allegations.
“Even if a case becomes moot and academic, the importance of clearing one’s name remains,” he said.
The disqualification petition was filed by Analiza Pilunes Maglasang over the city government’s distribution of assistance and alleged use of public resources during the election period.
Among the issues raised was the distribution of rice to residents of Barangay Duljo-Fatima on March 11, 2025.
Maglasang alleged that the city purchased 166,600 sacks of rice worth P49.98 million for residents affected by El Niño but distributed some of the rice in Duljo-Fatima, which she claimed was not among the mountain barangays placed under a state of calamity.
She also questioned the distribution of assistance under the Cebu City Hospitalization Assistance and Medicines Program in April 2025, alleging that it violated election rules governing the use of government resources during the campaign period.
The petition further alleged that city property, including monobloc chairs, was used during a campaign sortie and that meetings at the Cebu City Quarantine Center were held to support Garcia’s candidacy.
Maglasang sought Garcia’s disqualification under provisions of the Omnibus Election Code prohibiting certain acts during elections.
Garcia had maintained that the city’s distribution of assistance was covered by an exemption granted by COMELEC. He also described the complaint as politically motivated.
The COMELEC Second Division dismissed the petition in November 2025. The case was subsequently elevated to the En Banc, which issued a resolution on June 2, 2026, affirming the dismissal.
Garcia thanked his family, friends and supporters for their continued trust and urged the public to shift its attention toward Cebu City’s welfare and future.
📷 Atty. Raymond Alvin Garcia / Facebook
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