TARLAC CITY, Tarlac (Oct. 26, 2025) — Residents of this city are on the edge of their seats as the political drama involving the two highest elected positions here is still unfolding — more than five months after the conclusion of the 2025 local elections.
On Monday (tomorrow), it is expected that the camp of Tarlac City Mayor Susan Yap will be able to secure a Motion for Certiorari, along with the Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) from the country’s highest court.
On Tuesday, if the Supreme Court has not issued a TRO by Monday, Vice Mayor KT Angeles is expected to be sworn in as the mayor of Tarlac City.
The drama began with an early Thursday evening Facebook post by the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) regarding the latest updates on Special Action Cases. In the post, the COMELEC en banc granted the Motion for Reconsideration filed by Amado de Leon and Jay-ar Navarro of Tarlac City. Yap has only five days within which to secure a legal remedy.
The electoral body found that Yap was not a resident of Barangay Tibag, Tarlac City, for the period required by law, rendering her ineligible to be elected as Mayor. This finding overturned an earlier ruling from the COMELEC Second Division, which had initially dismissed the disqualification petition.
With the annulment of Yap’s proclamation and in the absence of a TROI from the Supreme Court, the rule on succession as outlined in Section 44 of the Local Government Code will be followed — this means the Vice Mayor of Tarlac City is expected to assume the post of Mayor.
