FACT-CHECK: Marikina Mayor Marcy Teodoro not disqualified from the 2025 elections

CLAIM: Marcy Teodoro has been disqualified from the 2025 elections and votes for him will be considered “stray votes.”

RATING: FALSE

A Facebook post falsely claimed that Marikina City Mayor Marcelino “Marcy” Teodoro has been disqualified from the 2025 elections.

The post included two screenshots of news articles from two tabloid newspapers falsely reporting that the Commission on Elections (Comelec) had revoked Teodoro’s candidacy for representative of Marikina’s first district and all votes in his favor would be considered as stray votes.

While the Comelec has cancelled the certificate of candidacy (COC) of Teodoro, as of writing, there is no final decision from the Comelec en banc to disqualify Teodoro. The Comelec said his name would still appear in the ballot.

On March 28, Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III criticized the Comelec en banc for failing to act swiftly on a Dec. 11, 2024 Comelec First Division resolution that cancelled Teodoro’s COC.

“Napakalinaw ng desisyon ng First Division na kanselado ang COC ni Mayor Teodoro. Pero mahigit tatlong buwan na, bakit hindi pa rin ito naisasara? Comelec, kailangan ng mabilis at malinaw na aksyon,” Pimentel said.

A Manila resident was arrested on May 12 in Marikina for handing out copies of the tabloids.

The Facebook post drew 54 reactions, 27 comments and 53 shares. Regner Atutubo

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