The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) has released its rulings on three disqualification petitions involving local officials who won in the 2025 midterm elections, ordering their removal from office for various election violations.

In its resolutions, the poll body affirmed the disqualification of Cabuyao City Mayor Dennis Hain for vote-buying in violation of the Omnibus Election Code. The COMELEC Second Division earlier found substantial evidence proving that Hain engaged in unlawful distribution of cash during the campaign period.

The Commission also upheld the disqualification of Albay Governor Noel Rosal for material misrepresentation after confirming that he had an existing Ombudsman conviction for grave misconduct carrying the penalty of dismissal from service. Due to this, the COMELEC declared all votes cast for Rosal as stray votes and ordered the cancellation of his proclamation.

Meanwhile, the proclamation of Tarlac City Mayor Susan Areno Yap-Sulit has likewise been disqualified, after the COMELEC en banc ruled that she failed to meet the one-year residency requirement before the elections. Yap-Sulit was found not to be an actual resident of Barangay Tibag, Tarlac City.

COMELEC Chairman George Erwin Garcia confirmed that the decisions are now being transmitted to the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) for implementation. Under the Local Government Code, the vice mayor will assume the position of acting mayor in Tarlac City.